Parker House Rolls With Black Pepper and Demerara Sugar

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, combine flour, potato flakes, granulated sugar, yeast and salt. Mix briefly to combine.

2. Step 2

   In a small saucepan or in the microwave, melt butter. Add the milk to the hot butter; the mixture should be warm to the touch (if it’s hot, let cool until warm to the touch). Whisk in the egg. Add to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed or by hand with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface, or in the stand mixer, until the dough is smooth, elastic and sticky, about 10 minutes by hand or 4 to 5 minutes in a mixer.

3. Step 3

   Transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or clean towel. Allow to rise until almost double in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours (or longer if your room is cold).

4. Step 4

   Prepare the seasoned butter: In a small bowl, combine butter, Demerara sugar, salt and black pepper, mixing with a spatula until smooth. Using a pastry brush, brush a little of the butter mixture on the sides and bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan. Set aside.

5. Step 5

   When the dough has risen and appears soft and puffy, transfer it to a very lightly floured surface and divide it in half. Roll or pat half of the dough into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle. With a pastry brush, brush about 2 tablespoons butter mixture over the entire surface of the dough. Fold dough in half to make an 8-by-6-inch rectangle.

6. Step 6

   Using a bench knife, regular knife or pizza wheel, cut the dough into thirds lengthwise and then thirds crosswise to make 9 pieces. Place them in the buttered pan. Repeat with the remaining half of dough, using about another 2 tablespoons butter. (You will have 18 rolls.) Once all rolls have been shaped and placed in the pan, brush tops generously with about half of the remaining butter, reserving the rest for after baking.

7. Step 7

   Cover the pan and set aside in a warm place to rise until very puffy, 1 to 2 hours.

8. Step 8

   When the rolls are nearly proofed, heat oven to 425 degrees. Once proofed, sprinkle rolls with flaky salt, more Demerara sugar and lots of cracked black pepper. Bake until golden brown on top, about 17 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, and brush with remaining seasoned butter. Pull apart to serve warm or at room temperature.