German Sour Cream Twists

from Bernard Clayton

This recipe sounded delicious and it is! I really enjoy this recipe. I didn't use as much sugar as the recipe calls for but it's so good. It's flavorful and flaky. 

3½-4 cup all-purpose flour, approximately

1 tsp salt

2¼ tsp yeast

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

1 egg, room temperature

2 egg yolks, room temperature

½ cup butter, room temperature

½ cup shortening

1 tsp vanilla

sugar

1. Measure 2 cups flour into a mixing or mixer bowl and add the salt and yeast. Stir to blend.
2. In a saucepan heat to lukewarm and stir together the sour cream, egg, egg yolks, butter, and shortening. Add the vanilla.
3. Form a well in the flour and pour in the liquid to make a thick batter. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon.
4. Add flour, ¼ cup at a time, to form a rough, shaggy mass that can be lifted to the work surface to knead. Knead for 5 minutes. Add sprinkles of flour if the dough is wet with oil.
5. The dough is so buttery that there is no need to grease the bowl beforehand. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with a towel, and set aside to double in bulk, 1½ hours.
6. Remove the dough from the bowl and form into a ball.
7. Liberally sprinkle sugar on the work surface and on the ball of dough.
8. Roll out the dough to an 18" length, occasionally sprinkling on sugar.
9. Fold the dough in half lengthwise and then into quarters. Roll out the dough again into a rectangle 18" long. Sprinkle with sugar.
10. With a pizza cutter or knife held against a yardstick, cut the rectangle into lengths 1" wide by 4" long for the larger twist. Twist each piece and place 1" apart on the prepared baking sheets.
11. Cover the twists with a towel and set aside to become puffy and raised, about 1 hour.
12. Preheat the oven to 375° about 20 minutes before baking.
13. Uncover the twists and sprinkle liberally with sugar. Place in the oven and bake until lightly browned, about 25 minutes.
14. Immediately lift the twists from the baking sheet with a spatula, otherwise the sugared bottoms will stick and never part from the pan in whole pieces. Place on a metal rack to cool.