Recipe: Pets de Soeurs ( Cinnamon Rolls)

To quote the author Marie Cormier-Boudreau, "These pastries which
resemble cinnamon rolls, have been made throughout Acadia for many, many
years. Although they are usually given the colorful name Pet de Soeurs
(literally nun's fart), they are also be called (sic) Rosettes, Rondelles,
Hirondells, Bourriques de veilles, Bourriques de soeurs or Bourriques de
viarges (Rosettes, Slices, Swallows, Old Women's Belly Buttons, Nun's
Belly Buttons and Virgin's Belly Buttons."
Sift the dry ingredients together. Blend in the lard to form a coarse
mixture. Gradually add the milk until a soft dough is formed. Roll the
dough until it is fairly thin, although it should be thicker than a
regular pie crust.
Butter the dough with soft butter, cover with 1/4 inch of brown sugar and
sprinkle with cinnamon. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll and slice into
circles about 1/2 inch thick.
Pour water into a casserole dish. Put the sliced dough into the casserole
and bake at 375F for about 30 minutes or until the pets de soeur are
golden brown.
VARIATION: Cranberry jam may be substituted for the sugar and the
cinnamon.
SOURCE: _A Taste of Acadie_ by Marie Cormier-Boudreau