Parker House Rolls

Yield: 18 rolls

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

4 tbsp unsalted butter

 

¾ cup whole buttermilk

 

3 ¼ cups flour (plus 1/4 cup for dusting the rolling surface)

 

2 1/4 teaspoon instant or rapid rise yeast

 

1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)

 

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

 

2 large eggs, room temperature, whisked until evenly colored and foamy

 

1 large egg, (for egg wash)

 

½ cup unsalted butter

 

 

Process:

 

Place a 2 foot square of parchment paper on top of the counter.

 

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat.

 

Place the milk in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat to 110-110°F using a candy thermometer. (If the temperature goes above that, remove from heat and let it cool. The temperature is very important and will impact whether the yeast will proof.)

 

Remove from the heat and add 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the yeast. Stir to distribute the yeast throughout the milk. Note: the yeast may clump. Break up the clump(s).

 

Allow milk and yeast to rest for 15 minutes. At the end of that time the top of the buttermilk should be foamy and the buttermilk moving as the foam moves to the top.

 

Sift the flour, nutmeg, sugar and salt into a bowl. Whisk to combine.

 

Combine the proofed yeast and buttermilk, whisked eggs, and cooled butter.  Whisk until smooth.

 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

 

Stir to combine. When completely combined, without any loose flour in the bowl, turn the dough out onto the parchment paper.

 

Fold the parchment paper over the dough and use it to knead the dough (which will be sticky) until the dough is combined and elastic, approximately 15 minutes.

 

Grease a bowl with butter.

 

Upend the parchment paper over the top of the bowl, dropping the majority of the dough into the bowl. Use a spatula or dinner knife to scrape off any dough scraps remaining on the parchment paper and place on the dough in the buttered bowl. Cover the bowl of dough with a clean piece of parchment paper.

 

Place the covered bowl of dough in a warm place to rise until double in bulk, approximately 60 – 90 minutes.

 

Once the dough has doubled in bulk, place the bowl in the ice box to chill overnight.

 

Take the second measure of butter out of the ice box about 2 hours before baking the rolls to allow it to soften and come to room temperature. At this same time, place a rolling pin, preferably marble, in the ice box.

 

Coat the inside of a 9”×13” baking dish with butter.

 

Place a new, clean sheet of parchment paper on the counter.

 

Use a tea strainer to sift flour over the top of the parchment paper by gently tapping the tea strainer and moving it across the paper.

 

Turn the cold dough out onto the floured parchment paper.

 

Roll out the dough into a rectangle approximately 12×12 inches.

 

Spread the dough with 1/2 of the room temperature butter. Reserve the rest of the butter to serve with the rolls.

 

Cut the dough into 18 evenly sized rectangles.

 

Roll each rectangle into a log with the butter inside.

 

Fold each log in half and use your hands to form a ball, making sure the ends are inside the ball. Place the dough ball into the buttered casserole dish; with a slight separation between the balls as they are placed in the casserole dish to give them room to rise.

 

Set the pan in a warm place for about 30 minutes, until the rolls raise.

 

Pposition a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 F. 

 

Whisk the third egg and water together. Gently brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash.  If too much pressure is applied to the top of the rolls, they will slightly deflate.

 

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through and the tops are golden brown.

 

Remove the rolls from the oven and brush the tops with some of the reserved butter.

 

Serve the rolls warm with the reserved butter.