How to make this roll | The Fresh Loaf

Swiss Chalet, a chicken franchise in Canada, serves this dinner roll, but you've seen it elsewhere. It's referred to as airplane roll, or cafeteria roll, or even prison roll (blunt, heavy weapon). It is crusty and quite chewy--it gives the jaw a workout.

I accidentally made them once. Have no recollection of what kind of dough I used, or hydration, or water spraying. Perhaps I should start with a crusty roll recipe.

If anybody has some time to waste, I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to (re)make these jawbreakers.

No recipe but I found this history on https://cottagemixtape.com/2020/12/25/swiss-chalet-a-christmas-tale-of-two-different-buns/:

The Swiss Chalet bun was this half brioche/ half shitty hamburger bun with a shiny dome of pillowy perfection that was the perfect accompaniment to the Festive Special. The choice was yours: you could dip it in the gravy or, for the more advanced, you could use it to build your own chicken sandwich. The sky’s the limit. However, around the late 90s, a dynamic shift took place at the lodge that was Swiss Chalet. Gone was the bun we all knew, into something that was more like half-cafeteria/airplane food, prison bun. Which is preferred by convicts because it can double as a blunt, heavy weapon in its density. Nothing festive about that, hence this “festivus” air of grievances.

That's where I got prison roll from. 😊

They must have kept the old brioche-type bun as well, for the sandwiches, because you can't get much chicken on one of the small footballs.

I saved a recipe from the Englishman, Chef John, for European Crusty Rolls, but haven't looked at it for a long time. Just checked it out, and guess what? Maybe it was his recipe I was making to begin with, and there was no accident. My marbles are rolling.

That roll reminded me of this video, maybe similar enough and provides some clues?

Thanks, Occidental, for taking the time to post that. As it turns out, the ingredients in that video and Chef John's are identical, although the method is different.

I will give it a try.

We used to have rolls like this (so it appears at least) all the time when I was a kid, but my mom bought them frozen and I would guess par baked, she just threw them in the oven frequently to go with a weeknight dinner.

Do you remember if they came out crusty or soft?

They were super crusty. Soft on the inside. Maybe it's a bit nostalgia, but with a pat of butter, I loved them.

If they're the same thing... we can still buy them at the supermarkets here (in Western Australia). imported from France. Parbaked. Crusty-chewy crust at first. Hard crust when they go cold. The inside goes from soft to flavourless plastic cotton wool. I was still buying them for Special Occasions right up til baking myself... it felt like I was making an effort and they didn't even need freezer space. ☺️

https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/573301/menissez-bake-at-home-white-dinner-rolls

That's them, all right.

Geez, all our Woolworths went out of business years ago.😒

Is what I would call such rolls. I have also purchased them part baked here in the UK. Very crusty but soft inside and very subtle wheat-sweetness.

I take them to be baguette dough. Round pre-shape, then rolled into a stubby log. Proof and score.