Parker House Rolls

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(from Bethany’s recipe box)

What’s in a name? A lot, actually.

MAKES 24

With their unique folds, buttery gloss, and tender crumb, Parker House rolls are classic American dinner rolls at their very best. When rounding the dough and shaping the rolls, it is important to keep the remaining dough covered, otherwise it will quickly dry out and develop a skin. Rolling the dough into symmetrical rounds takes a little practice, but you will quickly get the hang of it. A dry, unfloured work surface helps because the dough will stick a little. Although we like using a French-style rolling pin for flattening the rolls, a more traditional option is a thin dowel or the handle of a wooden spoon. Whatever your choice, lightly flour it or the dough will stick to it.

http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/bake-it-better/2012/11/secrets-to-parker-house-rolls/

Source: Cook's Illustrated Published January 9, 2007

Categories: Breads, Sandwiches, and Pizza

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 envelope instant yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 4 - 4 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (20-21 1/2 ounces), plus more for dusting work surface
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks), 8 tablespoons cut into 8 pieces and softened

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Once oven reaches 200 degrees, maintain oven temperature for 10 minutes, then turn off heat.

  2. Heat milk and sugar together in small saucepan or in microwave until mixture is lukewarm (about 100 degrees). Whisk in yeast and egg and set aside. Combine 4 cups of flour and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle and mix at lowest speed to blend, about 15 seconds. With mixer running at low speed, add liquid mixture in steady stream; mix until flour is moistened, about 1 minute. With mixer still running, slowly begin to add 8 tablespoons softened butter, 1 piece at a time, until incorporated into dough. Increase speed to medium and beat until dough is thoroughly combined and scrappy, about 2 minutes longer.

  3. Replace paddle with dough hook and knead dough at medium speed until smooth but still sticky, about 6 minutes, adding more flour in 1-tablespoon increments, if necessary for dough to clear sides of bowl. Scrape dough out of mixing bowl and onto lightly floured work surface; knead by hand until very smooth and soft, but no longer sticky, about 1 minute. Transfer dough to very lightly oiled large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warmed oven until dough doubles in bulk, about 45 minutes.

  4. Once dough has doubled, press down, replace plastic wrap, and allow dough to rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter and, with a pastry brush, liberally butter bottom and sides of large rimmed baking sheet with 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Round and shape rolls according to illustrations below; place on prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush tops of rolls with remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Set rolls in warm place and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

  5. When rolls are almost fully risen, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake rolls until tops are dark golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer rolls to wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

  6. STEP-BY-STEP – SHAPING PARKER HOUSE ROLLS: 1. Divide relaxed dough into 2 equal pieces and, with your hands, pull and shape each piece until it is 18 inches long and about 1 1/2 inches across. 2. With bench scraper, cut each length of dough into twelve 1 1/2-inch pieces (each piece will weigh about 1 1/2 ounces). Loosely cover all 24 pieces with plastic wrap. 3. With cupped palm, roll each piece of dough into smooth, tight ball and then loosely cover it with plastic wrap. 4. Beginning with ball rounded first (because dough has relaxed), use palm of your hand to flatten ball of dough into 1/2-inch-thick circle. 5. With small rolling pin, floured to prevent sticking, flatten out center of dough until circle becomes rough oval. Make sure to keep edges thicker than middle. 6. Lightly brush dough with melted butter, then fold in half and seal edges. Place roll on prepared baking sheet. Repeat steps 4 through 6 with remaining balls of dough.

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