Parker House rolls
Rolls that, by tradition, were created in the 19th century at the Parker House hotel in Boston; today they are a classic of American holiday tables, especially at Thanksgiving. They are very soft, buttery milk rolls folded in half like a pocketbook and brushed with butter, so they pull apart into two layers once baked. Baked tightly side by side, they have soft sides and a golden, glossy top. Flaky salt at the end brings out the butter.
Your own work in that: 35 min.
- Kneading 15 min
- Rising 60 min
- Shaping and folding 20 min
- Proving 45 min
- Baking 20 min
- Butter and salt 5 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneMake the dough
Mix the flour with the sugar, yeast and salt. Add the milk and egg, then the soft butter, and knead 8–10 minutes until smooth, soft and elastic.
Ingredients: 450 g plain flour · 240 ml lukewarm milk · 40 g sugar · 7 g dried yeast · 1 pcs egg · 60 g butter, softened · 8 g salt
Soft and smooth — slightly tacky is fine.Leave to rise
Cover the dough and leave somewhere warm an hour, until doubled.
Ingredients: 450 g plain flour · 240 ml lukewarm milk · 40 g sugar · 7 g dried yeast · 1 pcs egg · 60 g butter, softened · 8 g salt
Roll out
Turn the risen dough onto the worktop and gently knock it back (if it sticks, dust the worktop with a little flour). Brush a tin of about 23 × 33 cm with a little melted butter. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 25 × 32 cm and about 1 cm thick.
Ingredients: 40 g butter, melted · ½ tsp flaky salt
Cut the shapes
Cut the dough into 16 rectangles (4 × 4), each about 6 × 8 cm. Alternatively stamp out rounds with an 8 cm glass and roll them lightly into ovals; knead the scraps together, roll them out again and cut more until you have 16.
Ingredients: 450 g plain flour · 240 ml lukewarm milk · 40 g sugar · 7 g dried yeast · 1 pcs egg · 60 g butter, softened · 8 g salt
Brush and fold
Brush each piece with melted butter and fold it in half so the top half slightly overhangs the bottom. The butter between the layers lets the roll open easily once baked.
Ingredients: 40 g butter, melted · ½ tsp flaky salt
Butter inside — the roll opens like a pocketbook.Pack tightly and prove
Arrange the rolls in the tin in 4 rows of 4, folds facing the same way, close together (they may overlap slightly). Cover and leave 45 minutes, until clearly risen and filling the tin. Towards the end heat the oven to 190°C.
Ingredients: 450 g plain flour · 240 ml lukewarm milk · 40 g sugar · 7 g dried yeast · 1 pcs egg · 60 g butter, softened · 8 g salt
Bake
Bake 18–20 minutes, until golden on top.
Ingredients: 450 g plain flour · 240 ml lukewarm milk · 40 g sugar · 7 g dried yeast · 1 pcs egg · 60 g butter, softened · 8 g salt
Brush with butter and salt
As soon as they come out, brush the rolls with the rest of the melted butter and sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve warm, pulling them apart.
Ingredients: 40 g butter, melted · ½ tsp flaky salt
Butter while hot, and flaky salt.
Before you start
Making ahead
Cover the shaped rolls with film and refrigerate overnight. In the morning take them out for an hour to warm and rise, then bake.
Herbed
Add chopped chives, or rosemary and garlic, to the brushing butter — perfect rolls for soup and roasts.
Storage
They are best on the day they are baked. The next day warm them 5 minutes in the oven under foil. They freeze well.
