Frances Cook's Bread & Rolls
Submitted by rkirby
Versatile yeasted bread dough that bakes into two loaves or shapes into Parkerhouse and cloverleaf rolls. Make-ahead friendly with overnight refrigeration option.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
30 minREADY
290 minThis is a single yeasted dough that does double duty. Shape it into two medium loaves for sandwich bread, or roll it out and cut into Parkerhouse pull-aparts, or pinch into the three-ball clusters that make cloverleaf rolls. The dough handles all three shapes equally well.
The technique starts with scalded milk poured over sugar, shortening, and salt. Scalding (heating just below boiling) deactivates an enzyme in raw milk that weakens bread gluten. Skip this step and your dough will be slack and your loaves dense.
This recipe uses fresh compressed yeast rather than active dry, but they’re interchangeable: 1 cake of fresh yeast equals roughly 2 ¼ teaspoons of active dry. Bloom it in lukewarm water with the egg before combining everything.
The dough is forgiving in another way: refrigeration. After the first rise (or instead of it), tuck the dough in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Cold dough is easier to roll, easier to shape into rolls, and develops more flavor as it slow-ferments overnight.
Pro Tips
- For bread, shape the dough into tight cylinders and tuck the seam underneath. Loose seams create air pockets that ruin a clean slice.
- For Parkerhouse rolls, brush each round with melted butter before folding it over. The butter creates a seam that pulls apart cleanly when warm.
- For cloverleaf rolls, place three balls (about the size of large marbles) per muffin cup. They merge during the rise but stay distinct when pulled apart.
- Test bread doneness by tipping the loaf out of the pan and tapping the bottom. A hollow sound means done; a dull thud means more time.
Variations
- Stir in 1 cup of raisins or dried cranberries with the flour for a sweet breakfast variation.
- Replace 1 cup of all-purpose flour with whole wheat for a heartier crumb and nuttier flavor.
- Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds before baking for a more rustic finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Scald milk and pour over sugar, shortening, andsalt.
Let it cool to lukewarm while softening yeast in a small bowl with the warm water.
When soft, add the egg and beat together slightly.
Pour the yeast/egg mixture into the milk mixture and stir them together.
The flour may be sifted or poured into the liquid.
With a large spoon, stir until flour/milk is well mixed.
You should have a firm, but not stiff dough.
Without removing it from the bowl, cover the dough with a plate or towel and set aside to rise until double in bulk (about 2 hrs depending on the temperature in the kitchen).
Instead of letting the dough rise at this point you may put it in the refrigerator and use it later, or the next day.
Watch to make sure it doesn’t spill out of the bowl.
If it starts to spill before you’re ready to use it, punch it back down.
Refrigerated dough is easier to handle but takes longer to rise.
BREAD: If you want to make bread, dump the dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface and with more flour as needed to keep it from sticking, knead it until springy and easy to handle.
This dough does not require a lot of kneading; only enough to make it easy to handle.
For 2 medium size loaves cut the dough in half and knead/shape each into loaves and put into greased baking pans.
Allow about 2 hours for the dough to double again.
Bake in a 375℉ (190℃) oven until lightly browned on top (if uncertain whether or not bread is done, tip out of pan and see if bottom is browned too).
ROLLS: To make rolls, work and knead dough until springy and easily handled.
Roll out with a rolling pin and cut with a biscuit cutter and fold over and place on a greased cookie sheet (Parkerhouse rolls), or break dough into small pieces, make into little balls and place 3 in each section of a greased muffin pan (Cloverleaf rolls
Comments
