Parker House Rolls

in , on Thursday, November 24, 2011



Nothing beats hot homemade bread ~ it’s just my opinion.

Baking your own bread may be a bit “old fashioned” but it is one of the most therapeutic, rewarding things I can think of.  There is a wonderful feeling when you can admire the bread you made coming out of the oven and saying, “I made this all by myself.”  What a feeling!

I’ve baked a lot of bread over the years but lately, I have been experimenting with making dinner rolls.  Bill especially loves Parker House rolls so that is the one I’ve had my trials with.  Some did not rise well; another yielded a one-bite roll, with another rising to the point that I thought the oven door would pop open just like it did for Lucy. 

And then I came across this recipe by Alex Guarnaschelli in Food Network Magazine…

She has a great recipe for Parker House Rolls that I have made twice.  The dough rose well but what I found unique was that it did not require kneading after rising.  I don’t believe I’ve ever made yeast bread that was not kneaded for 10 or so minutes.  It did take a long time to rise though, 2 and one-half hours. 

The first time I made these, I thought they were a little large after baking.  This time, I cut an extra row for smaller rolls.  Over-all, it is an easy recipe that just requires time and I will definitely be making them again!

These buttery pull-apart Parker House Rolls are perfect for Thanksgiving dinner!


Yeast and flour mixture


Rising

Cut

Baked



Here’s Alex Guarnaschelli’s recipe:

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 7 1/2 to 8 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus softened butter for brushing
  • 2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

Directions

Bloom the yeast.
Measure out 1/2 cup warm water and check the temperature: It should be between 110 degrees F and 120 degrees F (comfortable bathwater temperature). Sprinkle the yeast into a large bowl, add the warm water and whisk in the sugar. Let sit 1 minute (it should bubble and froth slightly), then gently stir in 1 cup flour. Set aside near the stove while you prepare the dough.
Make the dough.
Mix the melted butter and milk in a mixer with the hook attachment on low speed. Add the eggs and mix until blended. Scrape in the yeast mixture and mix until incorporated. Add 6 1/2 cups flour and 1 tablespoon salt; mix until the dough forms a ball, 2 to 3 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup more flour if the dough is too wet and sticky.
Let it rise.
Brush a large bowl with softened butter. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place, 2 hours to 2 hours, 30 minutes. The dough should double in volume.
Shape the dough.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust a clean flat surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Flour your hands; gently press the dough into a 16-by-8-inch rectangle, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick (don't use a rolling pin).
Cut the dough.
With the short side in front of you, cut the dough in half lengthwise with a floured knife. Then slice crosswise into 12 strips.
Shape the dough.
One at a time, fold each strip of dough unevenly in half so the top part slightly overlaps the bottom half, then tuck the overhang underneath. Place the rolls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet in 3 tightly packed rows. (If making in advance, wrap the baking sheet tightly in plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 weeks.)
Bake the rolls.
Bake until the rolls are bursting at the seams and golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. (If frozen, bake 25 minutes at 325 degrees F, then 10 minutes at 375 degrees F.) Remove from the oven and brush with softened butter. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

A hot roll from the oven, a pat of butter ~ now that’s some kind of love!



Here’s wishing you all a Happy Safe Blessed Thanksgiving!




This entry was posted on Thursday, November 24, 2011 at 7:05 AM and is filed under , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response.

Popular entries