Great-Grandmother's Cloverleaf Rolls

Preparation Put the butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the milk until warm; pour it over the butter mixture and let cool. In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water; set aside to proof until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir the yeast mixture into the butter mixture. Beat in the egg, then beat in the flour until you have a soft dough. Cover and refrigerate. Two hours before baking, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide it in half. Divide each half into 6 equal portions, then divide each portion into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, dip into the melted butter, and place in a muffin tine, 3 balls to a muffin cup. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the rolls for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Prairie Home Breads The Harvard Common Press