Parker House Rolls

Before you start

Parker House rolls are soft, buttery yeast rolls folded over on themselves before baking, which creates their signature shape and a seam that pulls open into a little pocket. They take their name from the Boston hotel where they became famous; the details of their origin are told several ways, so we will stick to the bread.

The dough is a rich milk dough with a good amount of butter, and more butter goes on at shaping and after baking. Rather than cutting rounds from a rolled sheet, which wastes scraps, this method divides the dough into even pieces, flattens each into an oval, brushes it with butter and folds it off-center. Packed shingle-style in a pan, the rolls bake with golden, glossy tops and tender, layered middles.

Ingredients

• Dough450 g (3¾ cups) all-purpose flour
• 240 g (1 cup) whole milk — warmed to about 38°C (100°F)
• 55 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter — melted and cooled
• 40 g (3 tbsp) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg — room temperature
• 8 g (1⅓ tsp) fine salt
• 7 g (2¼ tsp) instant yeast
• For brushing55 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter — melted, divided
• as needed flaky sea salt

Method

1. Combine the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in the mixer bowl. Add the warm milk, egg and cooled melted butter and mix on low until a soft dough forms.
2. Knead on medium-low for 7 to 9 minutes, until smooth, soft and elastic; it should feel tacky but not stick to a clean finger.
3. Cover and let rise 60 to 90 minutes, until doubled.
4. Butter the pan. Divide the dough into 16 pieces of about 52 g and round each into a ball. Cover and rest 10 minutes so the gluten relaxes.
5. Roll each ball into an oval about 10 x 7 cm (4 x 3 in). Brush the top lightly with melted butter. Press a chopstick across the oval just off-center to make a crease, then fold the larger side over the smaller so the bottom edge peeks out slightly.
6. Arrange the rolls in the pan in 2 long rows of 8, each one slightly overlapping the next like shingles, folded edge facing the same direction. Cover and proof 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
7. Brush with melted butter and bake 16 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and 88–90°C (190–195°F) inside. Brush again with the remaining butter and sprinkle with flaky salt. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Tips for success

• Keep the butter for brushing warm and liquid; cold butter drags on the soft dough.
• Do not skip the 10-minute rest before rolling. Tight dough springs back and the fold will open in the oven.
• Use the leftover butter in the pan to brush the tops again right before serving.

Substitutions

All-purpose flour

Bread flour gives a chewier, taller roll; add 10 g more milk.

Whole milk

Use 2% milk or half milk and half water. The rolls will be slightly less rich.

Instant yeast

Active dry yeast at 9 g, dissolved in the warm milk for 5 minutes before mixing.

Variations

Garlic Parker House

Mix 1 grated garlic clove and 1 tbsp chopped parsley into the finishing butter.

Rolled-and-cut method

Roll the dough to 1 cm thick, cut 7.5 cm (3 in) rounds, brush with butter and fold each in half. Re-roll the scraps once.

Troubleshooting

Folds opened during baking

The dough was too tight or the crease was too shallow. Rest the balls longer and press the crease firmly before folding.

Rolls are pale on the bottom

The pan is glass or very dark. Bake on the lower-middle rack in a light metal pan.

Greasy rolls

Too much butter between folds. Brush a thin layer; excess melts out and fries the bottoms.

Storage

Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. Freeze for up to 2 months; reheat wrapped in foil at 175°C (350°F) for 10 minutes.

Safety notes

Do not taste raw dough; it contains raw egg and flour. Contains wheat, milk and egg.