What do they look like, color, texture, density?  Is it a white roll?   --Mini Oven

Do you mean hard dinner rolls? Or bigger version, that you could use for a sandwich? I'm thinking you're talking about white rolls with very crunchy crusts, but pretty airy curmb inside. With maybe seeds or cornmeal on top? 

"I am not a cook. But I am sorta cooky."

Guys,

Trying to describe the taste of real NY hard roll to someone who has never had one is like

to describe the taste of Gumbo to someone who has never had it. If you've had it . you know what I mean.

They are a White dough light but chewy inside and a crurst that is crispy and at the same time 

almost flaky. The crust is the hard part. There must be an ingredient in the formula that I just can't 

figure out.  

They are big enough to make a decent size sandwich and are not usualy with any seeds.

I have not found one for sale anywhere in the country other than NY city and north Jersey.

I realy hope someone from that area can come back with a recipe.

Thanks

Jerry 

This is probably not what you are looking for, but the recipe makes a great "hard" roll or bun.  They are nice and hard and do not seem to soften.

 http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/recipe.jsp?recipe_id=R364

Wayne

Wayne,

Tried that one and it's the crust that's not rite.

That crust is crunch. NY rolls are between crunch and flake.

There has to be an ingredient that I through my limited knowledge have just not

figured out.

Thanks anyway ;)

Jerry 

Are you talking about kaiser rolls?  I remember them as having a holey crumb much like today's artisan breads, and being a bit on the dry side so that they staled quickly.  They were not round, and they had poppy seeds on top.

By Googling '"kaiser roll" recipe' I found recipes and pictures at

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/recipes/kaiserrolls

http://www.recipelink.com/mf/2/18698

http://www.preparedpantry.com/howtomakekaiserrolls.htm

http://www.recipesource.com/baked-goods/rolls/01/rec0155.html

Rosalie

Alconnell,

We suffer the same PAIN :(

 Taylor Ham, Egg & Chesse  on a "Hard Roll" for breakfast, Heaven :(

Jerry 

For a denser roll, let rise and knock down twice in the bowl before shaping. Yeah, well, it's a basic kaiser roll recipe. I would cross check for temps and such.

Hard Rolls

• 2 teaspoons yeast
• 1 1/4 cups water (or beer/water or water + 1 teasp vinegar)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 1/2 - 3 3/4 cups sifted AP white wheat flour
• one egg white + pinch of salt to brush over rolls

Soften yeast in warm water. Add 1 1/2 cups flour, beat well. Add salt. Stir in about 1 3/4 of remaining flour. Dough should be stiffer than for regular bread. Turn out onto highly floured surface. Cover let rest 10 minutes. Knead till elastic 15-20 min (wow) using remaining 1/4-1/2 c. flour. Place in a greased bowl and allow to double. Punch down and shape into 12 balls. Allow to rise in a warm place, covered. Brush with egg white and bake in moderately hot oven.

I think Cooky is right with the point on technigue. What's done with the dough makes all the difference. --Mini Oven

you miss the pizza and the putata salad as well (lived in NC myself), among other things. The closest I've been able to come up with for the rolls:

HG Flour 100%

Water 60%

Instant Yeast 1%

Salt 1.875%

Sugar 1.875%

Vegetable Shortening 1.875%

Mix with dough hook at 1st speed for 3-4 minutes then mix at second speed until fully developed (approximately 7-8 minutes). Bulk proof until double, punch down, scale and shape into rolls (5 oz makes a pretty good roll). Proof again until fully doubled. Bake at 400 for about 18 minutes. Steam for the first 10 minutes.

We are big fans of New Jersey hard rolls and I too have been longing for a recipe. Last week when we were there, we stopped in Friedman's bakery to get some hard rolls for breakfast. I asked the guy that assisted us if he knew anywhere I could get a recipe. He replied that he didn't know of any published source and that they are very time consuming to make. When pressed for the ingredients, he mentioned yeast, flour, sugar, and malt. I'm sure there are probably other ingredients but wanted to share this information - perhaps the malt in the secret ingredient.

  Kaiser rolls here in Texas can sometimes be as good as "hard" rolls in nyc but are not nearly as predictable. I remember hard rolls having a chewy crust and being sectioned into 5 or 6 pieces if you pull them apart. I also remember buttered hard rolls wrapped in butcher paper waiting in baskets at the deli's I visited mornings on Long Island. Yum.

   I am so glad someone started a thread on this. I thought myself alone.

   These look good I may try it. Trouble is they only last a day.

     http://www.thefreshloaf.com/recipes/kaiserrolls 

I'm from Fallsburg NY, and I miss the rolls, the bagels, the bread, the pizza, all things baked in NY is a step above