German Parker House Rolls

This is a recipe I found on About.com for German recipes. The author says that this is what her Grandmother, Matha, was famous for making for family and friends. Posting for ZWT 6. Rising time not included so be sure to note that time before making the rolls.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 24 rolls

Ingredients

• 1  cup  whole milk
• 4 1⁄2 teaspoons dry yeast
• 1⁄2 cup butter, melted
• 1⁄4-1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 2  eggs
• 4 1⁄2-5  cups flour
•  more melted butter

Directions

1. Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Mix 1/3 of the milk with the dry yeast in a small bowl and let sit until bubbly, about 15 minutes. In a large bowl, combine remaining milk, melted butter, salt and sugar and beat until the sugar is dissolved. Then add the beaten eggs and bubbly yeast.
2. Add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, beating on high speed of stand mixer. This step should take at least 5 minutes. When the dough gets too stiff to beat, stir in rest of flour by hand, if necessary, to make a soft dough. Turn out onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until smooth and satiny. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, about 1 hour. (I have also covered the dough well and placed it in the refrigerator overnight. This works really well. If you are going to refrigerate the dough, put it in the fridge before it has a chance to rise. It will rise overnight in the refrigerator; just not as high as it would at room temperature. Let the dough stand, covered, at room temperature for 1 hour before proceeding with recipe.)
3. Punch down the dough and roll out on floured surface to 1/2" thickness. Cut with 3" round cookie cutter. Brush each roll with melted butter and fold in half to make half circles. Pinch edge lightly to hold, so the rolls don't unfold as they rise. Place in 2 greased 13x9" pans, cover, and let rise again until double, about 45 minutes. (If you refrigerated the dough, this will take longer, about 60-75 minutes.)
4. Bake rolls at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan immediately and brush with more melted butter. Don't use the same butter you used when forming the rolls - melt some fresh just for this step.