Parker House Rolls

Combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let stand 5 minutes until foamy (if using instant yeast, add directly to the flour). Add eggs, softened butter, flour, and salt. Mix until a rough dough forms, then knead by hand for 8–10 minutes or with a dough hook for 6–8 minutes. The dough should be soft, smooth, and slightly tacky — enriched with butter and egg but not wet.

Cover the dough tightly and let it rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1–1.5 hours. Gently turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to about 1 cm thickness. Using a round cutter (6–7 cm), cut out rounds. Brush each round with melted butter, then fold it in half so the butter is on the inside and the top edge slightly overhangs the bottom by about 5 mm.

Arrange the folded rolls tightly in a buttered baking dish or on a baking sheet, with the fold facing the same direction and the rolls just touching each other. Cover loosely and let proof until noticeably puffed and beginning to press against their neighbors, about 45–60 minutes. They should look full and pillow-like before going into the oven.

Gently brush the proofed rolls with melted butter. Bake at 190 C (375 F) for 18–22 minutes until deeply golden-brown on top and the rolls sound hollow when tapped. Immediately brush again with melted butter the moment they come out of the oven. Scatter flaky salt on top. Serve warm.