Hard Rolls
When I lived in Upstate NY I used to buy hard rolls that had a crust that shattered and the inside was nice and soft. Covered with poppy seeds. Toasted they were to die for. I tried every recipe going and could not find the right recipe. I was told it was the water. I don't believe that. The crust was very thin when baked. The last time I went to my hometown, which was Albany, NY and ordered my hard roll, what I got was nothing like I used to get. I asked the waitress this isn't the hard rolls I was used to getting and she said they couldn't get them anymore. Kind of hard to believe but who was I to say anything. I would imagine they are still being baked in a bakery probably somewhere in NYC but not sure because I didn't know where they bought there rolls. You could go into any eatery and get the same rolls but no longer. No, longer. I haven't been back to my hometown in about 8 years since hubby won't travel that far anymore. So does anyone have a recipe that I can get a very thin crust, and hard on the outside but soft on the inside. Also these rolls were larger than what you get now. Maybe 4 to 5 inches. Don't know since I never measured them but they were big.
Hard Rolls are or were a NJ NY east coast tristate specialty.
True hard rolls have been hard to find for a decade.
It seems the recipe/techniques have been lost or have fallen out of popular baking.
Nothing compares to a true hard roll.
I will post back if I figure out how to make them right or get more info on it. Been looking for hard rolls for a looooong time.
Read though the post to find Norm Bergs formula! Alas, his shaping video no longer available. Fear not plenty for Keiser roll videos on YouTube.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com//recipes/kaiserrolls
You are correct! That's what New Yorkers called them, anyway upstate NY did, and it figures NJ would know what I mean. In NY they were called Hard Rolls and it was the crust that made them so great. I looked for a long time, gave it up, made all kinds of rolls from different recipes but nothing comes close to those!
kimmelweck rolls or weck rolls. Instead of poppy or sesame seed on top they're sprinkled with caraway and coarse salt.
Have you made them? Do you have a link for a recipe. I know I can google but am looking for someone who has a tried and true recipe of what I am looking for especially the thin crust that shatters when bitten into.
Dear dablues,
I grew up in Queens and my job on Sundays after church was to get the Kaiser rolls and a loaf of Sour Rye from our local bakery. They were to die for crusty outside and super soft inside. I've been all over the country and out during my career and unfortunately, wound up in places that for the most part made "bread rolls" (soft mushy things like Wonder Bread). When I retired 10 years ago I was determined that the days of commercial bread were over and after a long search came across George Greensteins "Secrets of a Jewish Baker". It had this recipe for Kaiser Rolls which I adapted. When I bake I usually bake 4 loaves at a time so I show 1X, 2X and 4X times the basic recipe. I've shown the volumetric basic 1X and a metric which is what I use for my ingredient measuring. Greenstein's method for shaping eluded me but a found a good video a gal did on You Tube. Her son was the cameraperson and did a pretty good job. Her shaping technique for Kaiser Rolls was simple to follow. The taste was like I was timewarped back to Queens. Friends and family love them. Here's the recipe.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Add 1 quart of boiling water to a roasting pan in the bottom of the ovenLightly grease a baking sheet(or use parchment paper) and carefully move rolls onto sheet right side up. Place rolls in the oven bake 15-20 minutes depending upon how brown you want them. (Brushing rollswith a malt syrup & corn starch solution will give them a golden brown color)
If you have any issues with the recipe feel free to post again. Hope is works for you like it did for me.
Regards,
Big Crusty
My family lived in NJ when I was young (early 60's). My mom always had hard rolls and a variety of fantastic deli meats on hand. After we relocated to New England, she couldn't find anything remotely close. Any time family or friends would come from NJ for a visit, they were tasked with going to the deli the morning they left. They brought fresh hard rolls, a whole hard salami, half of a lebanon bologna, and a variety of other delicacies. Those rolls were gobbled up within 24 hours of arrival, in part because they didn't stay fresh long. People in NE would try to convince her that "these are hard rolls" but no, not even close. Only people who have had the real deal understand what they are supposed to be like. You are absolutely right about the crusty outside and soft inside.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I just bookmarked it, and will give it a try in the future. Hopefully I can make something close to my fond memories.
Mary
Sometimes things just disappear from the market. I bought Kaiser rolls at a local IGA for years. I am sure they baked them 'in house'. They made the most wonderful hamburger buns. I think it was about 20 yr. ago, they just were no longer there. To my discredit, I didn't ask what the story was.
I used to buy some things called 'raisin buns' from a local bakery in Lansing, MI.--Paul's Pastry, by name. They were a baked cinnamon roll. The crew in the lab loved them. It was always a special occasion when they were brought in. Then, one day, Paul was gone, and his two adult children, who had been his apprentices, decided they didn't want to be in the bakery business, and Paul's Pastry, and all the wonderful things made there, became another casualty of the passage of time, and the informational age.
for NYS hard rolls and NONE come close to what I used to be able to get, so I gave up. What I made from all the recipes I tried was good but not like what I was used to. So No luck and I don't look anymore
Best recipe I found is Peter Reinhart's Kaiser Rolls. The Bread Baker's Apprentice is the recipe book I use.
I have that book. I tried all kinds of recipes from that book, other books, etc., and NOTHING is like the NY Hard Rolls I grew up with. None compete!
The hard rolls I had as a child in the Midwest were NOT Kaiser rolls. Nor were they Kummelweck (upstate NY).
They are round with a crisp crust and a soft interior (not too airy). Sprinkled with poppy seeds.
The Kaisers I have had are shaped (5 sections) and have sesame seeds on top. The ones locally available are too airy for me. They look delicious but disappoint. I am sure authentic ones are far better.
Kummelweck are topped with caraway seeds. The tops have a small cross cut into them. When Buffalo Wild Wings was called BW3 (Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck) they served these as a beef sandwich. I love making and eating these . I just use Chef John's recipe. I assume there are more authentic ones, but I like it. He doesn't call for rye, but I use 25% dark rye flour. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TXhWuIVFRA
https://www.kochbar.de/rezept/466229/Berliner-Schrippen.html