1. Score the potatoes around the center of each potato. Boil the potato until tender–about 20 minutes.  Set aside 2/3 cup of the potato cooking water to cool to about 100 degrees F.
2. Whisk the warm potato water with the yeast and sugar to sit for about 5 minutes. When the yeast is foamy, you’re ready for the next step.
3. Peel the potatoes and mash them. If you have one, a potato ricer

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   is your best tool for the job.
4. Combine the yeast water with the mashed potato, eggs, 1 stick of melted butter, and stir well.  Add in the flour and salt.  Stir to turn it into a rough dough, then knead with the bread hook on a stand mixer on low for 5 minutes. By then, the dough will be shiny, sticky, and extremely elastic.
5. Cover the dough to rise for about 60 minutes until double in bulk.  Alternatively, you can cover the dough and let it rise overnight in the fridge if you want to work ahead.

 

Shaping the rolls

Whatever shape you choose, scrape out the dough onto a well-floured surface.  Depending on what roll shape you choose, you’ll need to either line sheet trays with parchment

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paper or butter muffin tins.  Melt the second stick of butter for assembling and finishing the rolls.

Crescents: Roll the dough into one large rectangle about 12”x18” with 4 rows of 3” wide.  Roll the dough into a 3” wide strip if you’re only using a portion of the dough.

Cut 6 triangles from each row.  Roll up each crescent from the wide end to the tip, tucking the point under the roll.  Brush the rolls with melted butter.  Line up the crescents on the sheet trays.

 

Fan Rolls: Roll the dough into a 12×18” rectangle.  Cut the dough on the 12” side into 6 two inch strips.  Brush each strip with butter before sticking on the next strip.  Continue stacking the strips together with butter between until you get to the last strip.

Cut the rolls vertically through the stacks to make 24 rolls.  Place the rolls in buttered muffin tins so that you can see all the layers like an accordion.

Parker House Rolls: Divide the dough into 24 pieces.  Roll each into a small ball and let rest for 10 minutes.  Gently roll the dough into a small circle, and then paint the top with melted butter.  Fold one side of the circle over the butter, slightly off-center.  Line up the rolls on the sheet trays.

 Cloverleaf Rolls: Divide the dough into 24 pieces.  Divide each of the pieces into 3 pieces.  Roll each tiny piece into a small ball.  Place 3 balls in a buttered muffin tin

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before brushing the tops with more butter.

Cover the rolls with a kitchen towel to rest for 30 minutes.

 

Towards the end of the 30 minutes, preheat your oven to 350 F (180 C).

Bake the rolls for 20 minutes until they are golden brown and the center springs back to the touch.

Brush the rolls with melted butter while still hot.  Keep the rolls warm in a bowl, wrapped in a kitchen towel.