Recipe: Kaiser Rolls (by hand or food processor)

KAISER ROLLS
Source: Bernard Clayton's Complete Book of Small Breads by Bernard Clayton
Makes 12 rolls

Two things in particular are needed to make the classic Kaiser roll. The first is egg and egg white among the ingredients for color, taste, and texture. The second is a hot but moist oven - steam from a pan under the rolls, or a spray into the oven from a water-filled atomizer.

While Kaiser rolls as sold in retail stores across the country are uniformly stamped out in the five-petal-blossom shape by a machine, the Kaiser in the kitchen will likely have a home-crafted appearance but, properly formed or not, the rolls are tender-rusty and delicious. Dusting with rye flour as the rolls are being shaped will keep the "petals" separated rather than melding into one piece.

While not traditional, another way to give the bun its five-petal design is to make curved cuts radiating from the center with a razor blade, lame, or a very sharp knife.

Poppy seeds, onion, and salt encrusted on the top of the Kaiser is traditional.

3 1/2 cups bread or unbleached flour, approximately
1 package dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup hot water (120-130 degrees F)
1/2 teaspoons malt extract, if available
1 egg
1 egg white
I tablespoon vegetable shortening
Rye flour, for dusting
Poppy seeds, about 1/3 cup to sprinkle on baking sheet

One baking sheet, greased or lined with parchment paper. Pan for water. Atomizer to spray oven interior.

BY HAND OR MIXER:
Measure 1 cup of flour into a mixing or mixer howl and add the yeast, sugar, and salt. Stir to blend well. Pour in the hot water and malt extract. Mix for 1 minute with wooden spoon or mixer flat beater until a smooth but heavy batter results.

Add the egg, egg white, and shortening. Beat together until the mixture is smooth. If with the electric mixer, remove flat beater and continue with dough hook. Add remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough is a solid but soft mass that can be lifted from the bowl - or left under the dough hook.

Knead the dough with a strong push-turn-fold motion, adding liberal sprinkles of flour if the dough is wet. If in the mixer, the dough will clean the sides of the bowl and form a ball around the dough hook. If, however, it continues to cling to the sides, add sprinkles of flour. The dough should be firm.

BY PROCESSOR:
Measure 2 cups of flour into the work bowl and add the yeast, sugar, and salt. Pulse to blend. With the machine running, pour the hot water and malt extract through the feed tube. The dough will be a thick batter. Drop the egg, egg white, and shortening. Pulse 7 or 8 times to blend completely. Add remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms a ball and rides the blade. If dough is wet and sticks to the sides of the bowl, add flour by the tablespoon with the machine running.

When the dough cleans the sides of the bowl, knead for 60 seconds. Uncover the bowl; pinch the dough to determine if it is soft but firm when kneading is completed.

FIRST RISING:
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside to double in hulk, about 1 hour.

SECOND RISING:
Uncover the bowl and punch down time dough with the fingers. Re-cover bowl and allow to double in volume again, about 45 minutes.

SHAPING:
Place the dough on a floured work surface and roll it into a long cylinder. With a sharp knife, cut 12 pieces front the length.

Shape the pieces under a cupped palm into smooth rounds. Allow to relax for 5 minutes.

Flatten each roll with the hand and rolling pin to about 3/8-inch thick. Dust lightly with rye flour.

FOLDING:
If using the traditional way to make the classic Kaiser, place your thumb in the center of the piece of flattened dough. with the forefinger (or fingers of the other hand), lift up a section equal to about one-fifth of the dough - fold the portion over your thumb. With the side of the hand, hit the dough against your thumb firmly. Move your thumb clockwise. Pick tip the second piece and repeat this action.

Repeat for a total of 5 times, but don't hit the last section, twist it into the center where your thumb was. The entire procedure may be viewed as assembling the spokes of a wheel.

CUTTING:
If using an alternative way, make 5 deep circular cuts from the center of each bun with a razor blade, lame, or a sharp knife. The dough should be firm to resist tearing.

Sprinkle the baking sheet liberally with poppy seeds. As each roll is shaped, place it facedown on the sheet. Yes, facedown.

THIRD RISING:
Cover the rolls with a length of waxed or parchment paper, and leave at room temperature to rise - to slightly less than double in size, about 40 minutes.

PREHEAT:
In the meantime, prepare the oven h placing a pan tinder the shelf. Twenty minutes before the bake period, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Five minutes before the rolls are to go into the oven, pour 1/2 cup of hot water in the pan to form steam and provide a moist environment for the rolls.

BAKING:
Be certain hot water is in the pan. Uncover the rolls, turn them right side up.

Place the rolls on the middle shelf of the hot oven. Two minutes later, lightly spray the interior of the oven - not directly on the rolls. Repeat once more early in the bake period, but not after the rolls begin to brown.

Midway through the bake period, turn the sheet around so that the rolls are exposed equally to temperature variations in the oven. They are done when crisp brown and hard to the tap of a finger.

FINAL STEP:
Remove the rolls from the oven. If, after the rolls have cooled, they are not as crisp and crusty as you like, put them back into a hot oven for 10 minutes. Do the same later for reheating the rolls.

Serve warm. These are delicious just spread with butter.