Crusty Buns

Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 1 package active dry yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lard

Recipe

• 1 in measuring cup, dissolve sugar in 1/2 cup lukewarm warm.
• 2 sprinkle in yeast and let stand for 10 minutes.
• 3 in large bowl, blend flour and salt.
• 4 using fingers, rub in lard until well blended.
• 5 stir yeast mixture vigorously with fork and stir into flour mixture.
• 6 gradually mix in remaining 1 1/2 cups luke-warm water to make stiff dough.
• 7 turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
• 8 gather into ball and place in lightly greased bowl, turning to grease all over.
• 9 cover and let rise in draft-free place for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
• 10 punch down dough and divide in eighteen pieces.
• 11 on well-floured board, using palm of hand, lightly flatten pieces into 3-inch rounds.
• 12 place side of hand down center of dough; press firmly without seperating dough.
• 13 fold sides in to center and pinch ends to form slight points; arrange about 2 inches apart on well-grease baking sheets.
• 14 dust with flour.
• 15 cover and let rise in draft-free place for 45 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
• 16 bake on sheet at a time on top rack in 500f oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until buns are well browned and sound hollow when tapped on bottom.
• 17 transfer to wire racks.