Parker House Rolls

Parker house rolls are a delicious yeast roll.  My daughter Meg Anne and I made the rolls together for Sunday supper.  Try making these rolls for your next Sunday supper with your kids and see how much fun it is to punch down the dough and then roll the dough into small round balls.  Serve these parker house rolls with warm butter for your next dinner and watch the kids come running to the dinner table.  This recipe comes from Martha Stewart's book, Martha Stewart Living 2002 Annual Recipes.  The only changes I made was using King Arthur bread flour instead of all purpose flour.  Using bread flour instead of all purpose flour allows your rolls to become lighter and fluffier.

Parker House Rolls:
Pre-Heat Oven:  350 degrees
Makes:  2 dozen rolls

1 package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)
3 tablespoons plus a pinch of sugar
13 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature, divided
1 cup milk, room temperature
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 1/2 to 5 cups King Arthur bread flour

1.  In a small bowl, place the yeast, pinch of sugar, and warm water (100-110 degrees).  Mix together and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  The yeast mixture should grow and become foamy (if your yeast mixture does not grow throw it out and start over).

2.  In a mixer with a dough hook attachment, add 7 tablespoons melted butter, salt, sugar, milk, eggs, yeast mixture and 4 cups of flour and mix together.  Slowly add that last 1/2 -1 cup of flour to the mixture  and allow the dough to mix for 6 minutes (if the dough is too wet and sticks to the sides of the mixer add more flour one tablespoon at a time.  If the dough is to dry add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the dough comes together and forms a nice ball). Place the dough into a greased buttered bowl and cover it with plastic wrap . Allow the dough to rise in a warm draft free place for 2 1/2 hours or until it has doubled in size.

3. Punch the dough down, then divide the dough into 24 small round balls on a floured surface.  Place the rolls into a buttered greased pan and allow to rise again for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Cover the pans with buttered plastic wrap.

4.  Remove the plastic wrap from the rolls and bake the rolls at 350 degrees for 20- 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove the rolls from the oven and allow to rest on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Serve rolls hot with butter.