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5. Transfer to a large oiled bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let stand in a warm place to rise until the dough is doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

6. Punch down the dough, and knead again with your hands, just until smooth. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the dough into 20 equal pieces, and shape them into rolls.

7. Place the rolls on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart; cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise again in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes.

8. Using kitchen scissors or a sharp paring knife, snip an X in the top of each roll. Brush the rolls with melted butter. Bake until the tops of the rolls are golden, about 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack; serve hot or at room temperature.

cream biscuits

MAKES 30

White Lily flour is widely used throughout the South. Made with only soft winter wheat, it is finer, lighter, and whiter than other types of flour.

2½ cups White Lily all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups heavy cream

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Pour in the cream; stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. The dough will still be wet and tacky.

2. Turn out the dough onto a well-floured work surface, and pat into a square about ½ inch thick. Let rest about 5 minutes.

3. Using a 2-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out 24 rounds. Gather together the scraps; pat into a square, and cut out more rounds. Place on a baking sheet, and bake until golden on the tops, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven; immediately brush the tops with butter. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

MAKING MUFFINS, STEP BY STEP

1. For best results, bring the milk, eggs, and butter to room temperature. Take these ingredients out of the refrigerator before you start, letting them warm up as you measure the dry ingredients.

2. Whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another.

3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; pour in the wet ingredients.

4. With a rubber spatula, fold the wet mixture into the dry one, with as few strokes as possible.

5. Fill buttered muffin tins about three-quarters of the way with batter. This leaves enough room for a crumb topping.

breakfast muffins

MAKES 12

10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

½ vanilla bean, split and scraped

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup milk, room temperature

1 large egg, room temperature

1¼ cups fruit, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or peaches

Streusel (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a standard muffin tin. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl; whisk to combine.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the butter, vanilla bean scrapings, sugar, milk, and egg; whisk to combine. Fold the butter mixture and fruit into the flour mixture; use no more than 10 strokes.

3. Spoon ¼ cup batter into each prepared cup; press 2 tablespoons streusel on top of each. Bake until the tops are golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from the oven; let cool in the pan 15 to 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

streusel

MAKES ENOUGH FOR 12 STANDARD MUFFINS

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Put all ingredients in a medium bowl; mix with your fingers until the mixture is moist and crumbly.

MUFFIN VARIATIONS

When you want a change from plain muffins, add fresh fruit or nuts (see suggestions below). You can add one or a combination of mix-ins, as long as the total volume does not exceed 1