Parker House Rolls

 

I have to say I really love myself a good buttery roll. When I'm sitting down waiting in a {nice} restaraunt one of my favorite parts of the whole experience is when the warm bread basket comes out {and the Diet Cokes}. My favorite restaraunt, probably my whole family's favorite restaraunt, used to be the Macaroni Grill for its rosemary bread loaf and olive oil dipping sauce. Needless to say, we are bread people {carb people to be more exact}.The easiest and easily the most made bread at my house is the 50-minute Express Bake loaf from the Cuisinart machine. It's quick and easy, and nothing is quite like a fresh hot loaf of homemade {well, sort of} bread.

I hadn't tackled a knead and bake loaf yet so for the Thanksgiving rolls I decided to cross that skill off my baking checklist. These rolls come from the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston itself. I found the recipe on the Food Network website from Bobby Flay. It was cut down from a large restaraunt sized portion and so the quantities might seem a little strange. But the recipe works out so perfectly that I didn't have to do any of my usual tweaks. It makes about 40 {depending on the size} amazingly light and airy and buttery parker house rolls. I kept them plain and simple and they were delicious. My crazy brain decided to make these at 2:30 am, but if it had been a tad earlier rosemary and sage may have come to the party.

Parker House Rolls

6 cups all purpose flour, divided

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

2 packages active dry yeast

1 cup (2 sticks) softened salted butter, divided

1 large egg

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine 2 1/4 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add in 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter. With mixer at low speed, gradually pour 2 cups hot tap water (120-130 degrees) into dry ingredients. Add egg and increase speed to medium, beating for 2 minutes and scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Beat in about 3/4 cup flour or enough to make a thick batter. Continue beating for another 2 minutes, occasionally scraping the bowl. With a spoon, stir in enough additional flour (about 2 1/2 cups) to make a soft dough.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes), working in more flour (about 1/2 cup) while kneading. Shape the dough into a ball and place in oiled/greased large bowl, turning over so that the top of the dough is greased. Cover with a towel and let rise in warm place (80-85 degrees) until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down the dough by pushing down the center with your fist, then pushing the edges of the dough into the center. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly to make smooth ball. Cover with a bowl and let the dough rest for another 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Melt remaining 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter. In a large (about 20x14") roasting pan add the butter and tilt pan to grease the bottom.

On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll dough 1/2" thick. With a floured 2 3/4" round cutter, cut dough into circles. Holding dough circle by the edge, dip both sides into melted butter pan; fold in half. Arrange folded dough in rows, each nearly touching the other. Cover the pan with a towel and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.

Bake rolls for 15 to 18 minutes until browned.

Source: Omni Parker House Hotel, Boston, MA via Bobby Flay on the Food Network.