Alright I admit it….I love bread. Don’t kill me. I know, the Carbs! The gluten! The sugar! Oh no I can hear the Paleo police knocking at my door!!! But whatever, like I said I love bread.
Before I became an adamant clean eater I used to make these Parker House Rolls. Mmmmm rolls. At first they were my greatest nemesis. Will they rise or wont they…nobody knows! But once I learned to stop killing my yeast, I was a roll making machine. But then the unthinkable happened. I said goodbye to white flour! Oh white flour…all the good times we had. I may have fought it at first. You will pull my white bread out of my cold dead hands. But then I realized how good whole wheat flour actually tasted and I was on board!
Okay, sorry enough about my twisted love affair with bread. You don’t care. Let me get back to the rolls. So around the holidays I always make homemade bread. By hand. I love a bread machine too, but there is something about going through the process of making it yourself that always feels special to me. That being the case, I wanted to find a new bread recipe that I could serve at a holiday dinner and everyone would still love. And not pull the whole…Oh you made healthy stuff…yay… If you cook healthy you know exactly what I am talking about. The crest fallen look on everyone’s face when you tell them what YOU brought to the party. But these rolls may just be the cure! If you can convince them to just try one…they will be shocked..amazed..awed at your magical healthy cooking powers! Because guess what…these rolls actually taste like Parker House Rolls! No really it’s true!
Long Live Bread!!!
Local Ingredient: Butter (purchased from a company that sells local pasture raised dairy).
Heat the milk on the stove. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and sugar.
Add the yeast to the warm water and 1 tsp of sugar. Let sit until foamy.
Combine the milk mixture, eggs and yeast.
Stir in 1/2 the flour.
Once the first half of the flour is incorporated, add the remaining flour 1.2 cup at a time.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
Knead for five minutes until a dough ball forms.
Place the dough ball in a greased bowl. Cover and put in a warm place for 60-90 minutes, until it has doubled in size.
Turn the risen dough back onto a floured surface. Punch the dough down.
Divide the dough into 24 separate pieces. Form into balls and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
COver and allow to rise for another 30-60 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size again.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1 package active dry yeast
1 tsp turbinado sugar
1/2 cup warm water
3 large, eggs
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
6 cups whole wheat flour
3 tbsp butter, for brushing on top of the rolls
Instructions
- Bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the milk begins to simmer remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and 1/2 cup turbinado sugar. Set aside to cool.
- While the milk mixture is cooling, dissolve the remaining sugar in the warm water (check the yeast package form the ideal water temperature to activate the yeast). Once the sugar is dissolved add the yeast and stir. Wait for the yeast to begin to foam, about 5-10 minutes.
- Once the yeast mixture had begun to foam, combine the milk mixture, eggs, salt, yeast, and 3 cups of the whole wheat flour. Mix with either a wooden spoon or stand mixer until smooth. Gradually add the remaining flour, 1/2 a cup at a time, until all the flour is incorporated and a dough forms.
- Flip the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes, until a smooth dough ball forms.
- Place the dough ball in a greased bowl. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place. Allow the dough to rise until it doubles in size about 60-90 minutes.
- Once the dough has risen flip it back out onto a floured surface. Punch the dough down with your hands. Divide the dough into 24 even pieces and roll into balls. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover again with a towel and place back in a warm spot. Allow to rise and additional 30-50 minutes, until the balls have doubled in size.
- Once the dough has risen preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and brush the tops with melted butter.
- Serve warm.
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