Parker House Rolls

Parker House Roll

Fresh baked rolls are a must at my Thanksgiving Day meal.  This year, I am going to make these wonderful feathery-light buttery Parker House Rolls.  I made a practice batch and they were delicious and not that difficult to make. The recipe I used was from King Arthur Flour.  All the ingredients except the melted butter are combined in a large mixing bowl. No proofing of yeast.  Yeah!  I always worry about that part.  You then knead the dough either by hand or by machine.  The dough is then left to rise for 90 minutes.  Divide the dough in half, brush with melted butter and roll into a rectangle.  You fold over one side of the dough and cut the dough into 3-inch rectangles.  Place the rectangles into a prepared baking pan and let rise.  Pop them in the oven and bake.  When you remove the rolls from the oven, brush the tops with more melted butter and serve.  I bet you've guessed what makes these rolls sooo good.  Butter:)  
PS: Don't you just love those perfect little loafs


Parker House Rolls
From King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup potato flour or 3/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk
1 large egg
3 1/2 to 4 tablespoons butter, melted; for brushing on rolls

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all of the ingredients (except the 3 tablespoons melted butter at the end), mixing to form a shaggy dough.  Note: To speed the rising process, whisk together the milk and egg, and heat gently just enough to remove the refrigerator chill; then add the remaining ingredients.
2. Knead the dough, by hand ( 10 minutes) or by machine (7 to 8 minutes) until it's smooth.

3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or 8-cup measure (so you can track its rising progress).  Allow it to rise for 90 minutes; it'll become quite puffy, though it probably won't double in bulk.  Note that the dough takes quite awhile to get going; after 1 hour, it may seem like it's barely expanded at all.  But during the last half hour, it rises more quickly.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface.  Divide it in half.  Working with one half at a time, roll or pat the dough into and 8"x12" rectangle.
5. Brush the dough all over with a light coating of the melted butter.  You'll have melted butter left over; save it to brush on top of the baked rolls.

Dough Rolled into a Rectangle

Dough Brushed With Melted Butter

6. Cut the dough in half lengthwise, to make two 4"x12" rectangles.  Working with one rectangle at a time, fold it lengthwise to about 1/2" of the other edge, so the bottom edge sticks out about 1/2 " beyond the top edge.  You'll now have a rectangle that's about 2 1/4"x12." Repeat with the other piece of dough.

Rectangle Cut In Half

Dough Folded

Cut into Rectangles

Patted Down in Pan

7. Cut each of the rectangles crosswise into four 3" pieces, making a total of 8 rolls, each about 2 1/4"x3".  Place the rolls, smooth side up, in a lightly greased 9"x13" pan.  Repeat with the remaining piece of dough, making 16 rolls in all.  You'll arrange 4 row of 4 in the pan, with the longer side of the rolls going down the longer side of the pan.  Gently flatten the rolls to pretty much cover the bottom of the pan.
8. Cover the pan, and let the rolls rise for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until they're puffy but definitely not doubled.  Towards the end of the rising time preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
9. Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until they're golden brown and feel set.
10. Remove them from the oven, and brush with the remaining melted butter.  Pull them apart to serve.

Yield: 16 rolls

Done:)

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