In a small bowl, add the yeast, slightly warm milk, and 1 teaspoon of sugar from the recipe. Tip: The milk or water should be just warm enough that you could feed it to a baby. If you dip a clean finger in, it should feel comfortably warm, not hot. Too much heat can kill the yeast.

Stir and cover. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes until foamy or bubbly. (If it doesn’t foam, the yeast may be expired or weak. Toss it and try again with fresh yeast.)

In a separate large bowl, mix the flour, remaining sugar, and salt.

Whisk the egg in a small bowl, then add it to the flour mixture. See note 1 on how to make this egg free.

Add the cooled melted butter and the bubbly yeast mixture.

Stir everything with a wooden spoon or spatula until you get a sticky, shaggy dough. (Stir well so there are no lumps).

Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge overnight (8 to 12 hours).

The next day, take out the dough and slightly oil or flour your hands and surface.

Turn the dough out and divide into 16 equal pieces.

Shape each piece into a ball by tucking the dough under and rolling gently.

Place the balls in a greased pan. I used a 9x9 inch pan in a 4x4 arrangement.

Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1 to 1½ hours, until puffy or doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), or 325°F (160°C) if using a fan oven.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy warm.