Kaiser Rolls

Directions

1. 1
   Take the pate fermentee out of the refrigerator 1 hour before making the dough.
2. 2
   Cut it up into about 10 small pieces with a pastry scraper or serrated knife.
3. 3
   Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 1 hour to take off the chill.
4. 4
   Stir together the flour, salt, malt powder, and yeast in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer).
5. 5
   Add the pate fermentee, egg, oil, and 10 tablespoons water.
6. 6
   Stir (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment) for 1 minute, or until the ingredients form a ball.
7. 7
   If there is still some loose flour, add the remaining 2 tablespoons water.
8. 8
   Lightly dust the counter with flour, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook).
9. 9
   Knead for about 10 minutes (6 minutes by machine), adding flour, if needed, to make a dough that is soft and supple, tacky but not sticky.
10. 10
    The dough should pass the windowpane test (page 59) and the internal temperature should register 77 to 81F.
11. 11
    Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it to coat it with the oil.
12. 12
    Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
13. 13
    Ferment at room temperature for 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
14. 14
    If the dough doubles in size before 2 hours have elapsed, remove it, knead it lightly to degas it, and return it to the bowl to continue fermenting until doubled from original size or until 2 hours have elapsed.
15. 15
    Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 6 to 9 equal pieces (4 ounces for large rolls, 2 2/3-ounce pieces for smaller rolls).
16. 16
    Form the pieces into rolls, as shown on page 82.
17. 17
    Mist the rounds lightly with spray oil, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let the dough relax for 10 minutes.
18. 18
    Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with baking parchment, lightly mist it with spray oil, and then dust with semolina flour or cornmeal.
19. 19
    Prepare the individual rolls by cutting them with a kaiser roll cutter (see photograph) or knotting them as shown on page 82.
20. 20
    Place the rolls, cut side down, on the parchment, mist lightly with spray oil, and loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag.
21. 21
    Proof the rolls for 45 minutes at room temperature, then flip them over so the cut or folded side is facing up.
22. 22
    Mist again with spray oil, cover the pan, and continue proofing for another 30 to 45 minutes, or until the rolls are double their original size.
23. 23
    Preheat the oven to 425F with the oven rack on the middle shelf.
24. 24
    Uncover the rolls and prepare them for baking.
25. 25
    If you want seeds on your rolls, mist them with water and sprinkle poppy seeds over the top.
26. 26
    If not, just mist them with water.
27. 27
    Place the pan in the oven, spray the oven walls with water, and close the door.
28. 28
    After 10 minutes, rotate the pan for even baking and lower the oven setting to 400F.
29. 29
    Continue baking until the rolls are a medium golden brown and register approximately 200F in the center.
30. 30
    This will take 15 to 30 minutes for large rolls, or less for smaller rolls.
31. 31
    Remove the rolls from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack.
32. 32
    Wait at least 30 minutes before serving.
33. 33
    Enriched, standard dough; indirect method; commercial yeast
34. 34
    Day 1: 1 1/4 hours pate fermentee
35. 35
    Day 2: 1 hour to de-chill pate fermentee; 10 to 15 minutes mixing; 3 1/2 to 4 hours fermentation, shaping, and proofing; 15 to 30 minutes baking
36. 36
    The traditional method for shaping a kaiser roll requires a series of overlapping folds, like making a paper flower.
37. 37
    It is time-consuming and difficult to teach.
38. 38
    Most people now use a commercial kaiser cutter, either metal or plastic, available at most cookware stores or through mailorder catalogs (see Resources, page 286).
39. 39
    Equally effective and fun and easy to make is a knotted roll design.
40. 40
    The finished roll looks similar to the more difficult overlapping-fold technique.
41. 41
    You can use either a kaiser roll cutter (center) or the knotted-roll technique (left and right) to give your kaiser rolls their distinctive design.
42. 42
    Kaiser Rolls %
43. 43
    Pate fermentee 80%
44. 44
    Bread flour 100%
45. 45
    Salt 2%
46. 46
    Diastatic malt powder 1.7%
47. 47
    Instant yeast 1.1%
48. 48
    Egg 16.5%
49. 49
    Oil 7.5%
50. 50
    Water (approx.)
51. 51
    55%
52. 52
    Total 263.8%