I'm glad the brownies went well. It gave me confidence. Yeast always made me nervous, and it's only within the last year that I've gotten more comfortable with the idea of rising and punching. So I rolled the dice and made my first yeast attempt yesterday. I went with a classic, in part because I'm familiar with it. I also made this recipe last year, when I was invited to Thanksgiving Dinner with two of my favorite people, K and M, and K's parents. It was a great afternoon with excellent company and the rolls were a hit. Sadly, both of K's parents passed away this year. It seemed right to start here.
This recipe is from Bon Appetit ( http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/parker-house-rolls ). I considered a few options before starting. I thought about adding a second rise to prolong fermentation time and prevent the rolls from tasting like raw flour. But this was Thanksgiving Day, and I had enough on my plate, so to speak. So I made a sponge the night before, adding all of the liquid and fats to the yeast as well as part of the flour. I used the entire amount of yeast, not reduced as some sources suggest. Even so, the dough took the full 1 1/2 hours to rise to exactly doubled in size. I also raised the temperature 25° and reduced the time by 5-8 min.
They turned out pretty much like I remember. Yummy, buttery rolls with a spongy texture (as opposed to flaky like a biscuit.) Next time, I may make the sponge the morning of baking and leave it out at room temperature for a few hours - a hybrid sponge/second rise approach. Awesome rolls and a great way to remember two incredibly generous and welcoming people.
Parker House Rolls
Ingredients:
1 envelope active dry yeast
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 large egg
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (+ 1 Tbsp)
Directions:
Whisk 1 envelope active dry yeast and 1/4 cup warm water (110°-115°) in a small bowl; let stand for 5 minutes.Heat 1 cup whole milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until just warm. Combine 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt in a large bowl. Add warm milk; whisk to blend, breaking up shortening into small clumps (it may not melt completely). Whisk in yeast mixture and 1 room-temperature large egg. (I did all of these steps the night before and then stirred in 1 cup flour. I stored this in the refrigerator until about 2 hours before I was ready to complete the rest, then let it come up to room temperature.)
Add 3 1/2 (2 1/2) cups all-purpose flour; stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until dough forms. Knead dough with lightly floured hands on a lightly floured surface until smooth, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350° (375°). Melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter in a small sauce-pan. Lightly brush a 13x9-inch baking dish with some melted butter.
Punch down dough; divide into 4 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll out on a lightly floured surface into a 12x6-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into three 2-inch-wide strips; cut each crosswise into three 4x2-inch rectangles. Brush half of each (about 2x2-inch) with melted butter; fold unbuttered side over, allowing 1/4-inch overhang. Place flat in 1 corner of dish, folded edge against short side of dish. Add remaining rolls, shingling to form 1 long row. Repeat with remaining dough for 4 rows. Brush with melted butter, loosely cover with plastic, and chill for 30 minutes or up to 6 hours. Bake rolls until golden and puffed, 25-35 (20-30) minutes. Brush with butter; sprinkle flaky sea salt (such as Maldon) over. Serve warm.
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