Kaiser Rolls

Gently crusty exterior with a fluffy squishy center and rich yeasty aroma.

Kaiser Rolls

Makes 6 - 7

New York has lots of classic breads that stem from our deli culture which mainly merges Eastern European and Italian cultures. While those breads, bagels, bialys, heros, Italian bread and more have lots of interpretations, as a New Yorker I see the versions I grew up with as the ideal version. As I cannot get many of those breads, in the way I remember them while living in Korea, I’ve started to make them myself. These kaiser rolls are a testament to that.

Before I started testing this recipe I would have strictly said that a kaiser roll was lean without any enrichment. While I still hold that that is true for the rolls of my childhood. I have found that a little butter added to the dough makes all the difference in homemade rolls. I do not however add milk or eggs in trying to maintain as much of the familiarity of the kaiser rolls found in the NY delis, bodegas and bagels shops I was attempting to mimic. As they cooled on the counter their smell brought back so many memories of simple buttered rolls and perfect bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches.

“Recipe Tips:

*1. ”

Ingredients

Preferment

130g (1 c) whole wheat flour

124ml (0.50 c + 2 T) water, room temperature

Pinch of instant yeast 

Dough

33g (1.5 T) brown rice syrup or 15g (1 T) granulated sugar

21g (1.5 T) butter

124ml (0.50 c + 2 T) water

6g (1.5 t) kosher salt

5g (1.25 t) instant yeast

260g (2 c) bread flour 

Finishing

Spray bottle with water

Poppy seeds or semola flour – optional

Method

Preferment

1.      In a medium mixing bowl combine the preferment ingredients well until no dry flour remains.

• Cover and allow to sit at room temperature overnight, 18 – 24 hours.

Dough

2.      In a small pot over medium heat melt the butter and syrup together.

• Off heat add the water and salt and mix until the syrup and salt are completely dissolved.

• Cool to room temperature.

• Mix in the yeast once cooled until fully dissolved.

3.      Weigh the flour into a medium mixing bowl.

• Pour in the yeast mixture and mix to form a dough.

• Turn onto a clean work surface and knead the dough for 10 minutes using the slap and fold method.

To slap and fold: place your hands at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock on the dough, lift the dough and turn a quarter turn (your hands will be at 3 and 9) “slap” the bottom of the dough against the work surface. Stretch the dough in your hands toward yourself and “fold” or “throw” the dough over the dough on the table. Quickly remove your hands from the dough and place your hands at 12 and 6 again and repeat for the time listed.

This step will be sticky but try not to add additional flour. For best results try to make your movements quick to prevent sticking and use the bench scraper regularly to scrape the dough from the bench and your hands.

• Cover and ferment for 1 hour.

• Fold.

To fold: wet your dominant hand and loosen the dough from the bowl flipping the ball of dough over. Press out the dough to even out its thickness. Grab a grip of dough across from you, lift and stretch the dough out a few inches then fold it over the center. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat this process, wetting your hand as necessary to prevent sticking, until you reach the point where you began. The dough should have formed a ball at this point. Flip the ball again, placing the “seams” of the dough on the bottom and tuck the dough together to make a ball.

Do not add flour during the folding.

• Cover and ferment 1 hour longer.

• Divide into 6 or 7 equal portions.

Dividing into 6 will give you a slightly larger rolls while 7 will be slightly smaller. Both are a good size in my opinion and have identical proofing and cooking times.

• Preshape each portion of the dough.

To preshape: working one portion at a time, lightly flour the surface of the dough and pat out into a rough rectangle with the short sides facing and across from you. Bring the left then right sides into the center pressing lightly. Starting from the short side across from you, roll down loosely into a chunky log. Place the log away from you with the seam side down. Repeat with the remaining dough.

• Cover and rest for 20 minutes.

4.      Place a sheet of parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside until needed.

5.      Working one portion of dough at a time, shape the rolls.

• On a lightly floured work surface, place a portion of the dough, seam side up.

• Using your fingertips, flatten the dough into a rough rectangle with the long sides facing and across from you while also degassing or removing the gas has formed helping the dough to rise.

• Starting at the top of the rectangle across from you, roll the dough down to make a log. Roll the log working from the center out into an even snake about 31cm (12 in) long.

The amount of flour used during the rolling is critical. You want to use enough to help roll the dough out and keep the dough from sticking to the surface but too much will eliminate the friction needed to lengthen the dough. You are looking for the dough to remain slightly tacky and not sticky during the entire shaping process.

• Cross the ends of the snake by bringing the left end over the right to create a loop.

The left end should be on the right and on top while the right end should be on the left and on the bottom.

• Starting with the end on the right, wrap the end under the loop and bring up through the center to rest on the edge of the right side.

If the dough is too sticky, start by making sure your hands are well floured during shaping.

If still too sticky and making shaping difficult, very lightly flour the roll to help continue with the shaping.

• Take the end on the left and wrap over the loop so the end comes out underneath the loop on the left side.

• Take the right end and move it slightly to the left to firmly press it into the left end.

• Lift the roll and wrap the pressed end underneath gently arranging the roll into the proper pinwheel shape.

• Place on the prepared baking sheet.

• Repeat with the remaining portions of dough spacing well between each roll.

• Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise for 40 – 60 minutes or until doubled in size.

6.      Preheat oven to 230 C / 450 F.

7.      Carefully uncover the rolls and lightly spray with water.

• If using sprinkle with poppy seeds or lightly dust with semola flour.

• Bake for 12 – 13 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 94 C / 200 F.

For a slightly darker crust bake 1 – 2 minutes longer.

• Remove to a cooling rack and cool completely.

8.      Slice and fill.