They once were lost, but now they’re found… Crusty Hard Rolls
March 8th, 2011 by PJ HamelRecipe: Crusty European-Style Hard Rolls
Ah, there you are at last – the rolls I’ve been dreaming of lo, these many years.
My lost buns.
My… oh, never mind the superlatives. Let’s cut right to the chase.
Years ago Sue Gray, a long-time colleague here in the King Arthur Flour test kitchen, developed a recipe for light-textured, crisp-crusted, wonderfully flavorful, and truly elegant-looking hard rolls. They were featured on the cover of one of our catalogues; I remember the picture well, as it was one of those “I want that bread RIGHT NOW” shots.
Now, this was before online recipe boxes, or similar virtual storage methods. So I tore the recipe out of the paper catalogue and filed it… somewhere. Out of sight, out of mind. I made the rolls a few times, then forgot about them.
Until recently. In the process of having our office painted, the King Arthur Web team had to relocate for a few weeks; which entailed moving a whole bunch of stuff, including my collection of catalogues stretching back to the very first one, in September, 1990.
While trundling my catalogues down the hall to our temporary new home, I came across this one, from February, 2000:
There they are! Those rolls. The ones I loved so much.
But where’s the recipe? I’d already torn the page out of the catalogue, and my days of keeping manila folders stuffed with paper recipes is long gone.
Luckily, I found it online. With over 2,000 recipes on our Web site, it took a bit of searching; but the word “crusty” turned up 8 recipes, and I was quickly able to identify the one for these rolls.
Eureka! Made ’em. Loved ’em. They’re everything I remember.
And now, before I forget – I’m bookmarking this blog post!
Join me as I make Crusty European-Style Hard Rolls.
First, we’ll make a starter. Put the ingredients below in a bowl. The same bowl you’ll use the next day to make the dough is a good choice.
1/2 cup cool water
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/8 teaspoon instant yeast
Mix until well combined. Cover and let rest at room temperature overnight.
Next day – see those bubbles? Yeast, flour, water, and time, hard at work!
Add the following ingredients to the starter in the bowl:
3 1/2 cups (14 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup lukewarm water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
Mix everything together until cohesive.
Then knead for about 7 minutes (at medium speed in a stand mixer). Knead about 10 minutes by hand.
Your goal is a soft, somewhat smooth dough; it should be cohesive, but the surface may still be a bit rough. It may also stick to the bowl just the tiniest bit.
Of course, you can also do this whole process (including the first rise) in the bread machine set on its dough setting.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, or in an 8-cup measure, as I’ve done here. The measuring cup makes it easy to track the dough’s rise.
After 1 hour, it will have barely risen – the 3/8 teaspoon yeast in the recipe is working slowly. But that’s OK, we want it to, because we’re giving this dough a long rise.
Gently deflate the dough, and return it to the cup or bowl.
Wait another hour; ah, that’s better.
Deflate the dough again, and return it to the cup or bowl.
Wait 1 more hour (for a total of 3 hours since you started).
Better still. See those air pockets? Yeast at work.
Did you know that yeast doesn’t reproduce in a low-oxygen environment – e.g., when it’s in rising dough? It simply eats and releases CO2 (which makes the dough rise), and organic acids and alcohol (which give the bread flavor).
Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased work surface. Divide it into 12 pieces. Shape the pieces into balls, firming them up by rolling them under your lightly cupped fingers.
Place the rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover them, and let them rise for 1 to 2 hours, until they’re puffy, though not doubled in size.
I was doing an experiment here, so divided the rolls between two baking sheets. You could crowd them onto one; but for best shape, six on a sheet is a good choice.
The rolls will flatten out a bit as they rise; that’s OK.
Very gently cover the rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap, and refrigerate them for 2 to 3 hours.
This “cool rise” will increase the dough’s output of acetic acid, which will give them the merest tang; their flavor won’t be even close to that of sourdough, but will simply seem rich and more complex than that of the typical white roll.
Towards the end of the rolls’ chill, preheat the oven to 425°F.
Whisk together 1 large egg white and 1/2 cup cool water until frothy. Remove the rolls from the refrigerator, and brush them with the wash; you won’t use it all up.
Again, don’t be discouraged if the rolls seem a bit flat; they’ll pick up when they hit the oven’s heat.
Quickly and decisively slash the top of each roll.
Make the cut fairly deep; about 1/2” is good.
Immediately put the rolls into the oven.
Within minutes, they’ll start to puff up. WHEW. It’s always a scary moment when you slash risen bread dough and it starts to deflate…
Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re a deep golden brown.
Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack. Or, for best crunch, open the oven door, and allow the rolls to cool in the turned-off, open-door oven.
Is this not a thing of beauty?
As well as a joy forever.
Nice interior. And notice the thin crust – which by the way is crisp, not leathery.
What a difference a day makes… On the left, a roll baked after a 2 1/2-hour rest in the refrigerator. On the right, baked after an overnight (16-hour) rest in the fridge.
You may be tempted to think “more is better,” but my experimenting tells me that 2 to 3 hours in the fridge is just right.
A dip in flavored olive oil is a delicious final touch.
Read, rate, and review (please) our recipe for Crusty European-Style Hard Rolls.
Print just the recipe.
Tags: artisan, crusty rolls, hard rolls
March 8th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
These look delightful – I will definitely have to make them! Do you have any recommendations on when would be good to freeze them, if you can’t eat them all at once? (Midway through the process, or post-baking?)
Thanks!
I recommend freezing them after baking. Enjoy! ~Amy
You could also freeze the dough after its first rise; or shape the rolls, let them rise up to the point where they go into the fridge, then freeze.Once frozen, take them off the baking sheet, and wrap airtight. And of course, leave enough time to thaw overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to bake. Cheers- PJH
March 8th, 2011 at 3:51 pm
oooooh, my very very very favorite type of roll EVER… and I can’t make them because I have throat surgery next week. No hard items for at least 2 weeks…
gonna go make chocolate cupcakes with salted caramel frosting instead.
(but I’d prefer the rolls, truth to tell.)
Put this recipe on the back burner, then – hopefully in a few weeks you’ll be good to go. Best of luck with your surgery – PJH
March 8th, 2011 at 5:49 pm
You have no idea how excited I am about trying these rolls. I’ve been searching and experimenting to re-create Danish rundstykker, which are literally translated to “round pieces.” Not very descriptive, but in essence they are hard rolls with billowy interiors. I’ve been able to re-create the billowy interior part, but the thin crispy crust has been elusive. From the looks of it, this may be them! Did I mention I’m so excited?
Darlene, I hope these are the rolls of your dreams!
PJH
March 8th, 2011 at 6:23 pm
I’d like to make these with the KAF sourdough starter I have in my fridge. How much of the starter should I measure out? And should I do anything special with the starter (e.g., feed it or let it come to room temp) before mixing it in with the other ingredients?
Haven’t tried these with sourdough, and a lot depends on how thin/thick your sourdough is. But – I’d say try substituting 1 cup of FED sourdough starter for the overnight starter the recipe calls for, and go from there. You may need to add a bit more flour to achieve the dough consistency shown in the photos. Good luck – PJH
March 8th, 2011 at 6:42 pm
I must make these this weekend. Are they anything like the German rolls Brotchen? I have been looking for a good recipe for those with no luck.
Yes, actually – if you read the comments after the recipe, you’ll see one reader says they’re very close to brotchen. Enjoy- PJH
March 8th, 2011 at 9:05 pm
Yah, now I can make hard rolls. My very close grocery with the nice bakery closed mid summer. I have been missing the ‘european’ style rolls they made. (and I can’t remember the names to search for recipes). I might play with substituting some sourdough starter for the overnight starter so that I do it all in a day…
That should work – make sure the starter is fed and at room temperature, OK? PJH
March 8th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
Beautiful!
I have been looking for a recipe for the dinner rolls at Bertucci’s. They are amazing. I thought maybe they have some semolina in them.
I will give these a try!
I wouldn’t doubt the Bertucci rolls could have semolina – gives them such pretty color… I think you’ll enjoy these, Cindy. PJH
March 9th, 2011 at 8:48 am
Hi PJ. Can’t wait to add these to my KAF bread/rolls repertoire! One quick question — the recipe says to knead for 7 minutes on medium speed. I thought the kneading speed (at least on a KA) is #2, which is of course low. Do you guys typically use a higher speed for kneading, or just in this case?
Thanks!
Emilie
I typically use a higher kneading speed than KitchenAid calls for for, yes. On the KA, I don’t use the slowest, or the second slowest, but the next one up from that; it’s really hard to ascertain the numbers on a KitchenAid, so I don’t usually refer to them. It’s all just general guidelines, though – you really have to look and feel the dough to see when it’s ready. And there’s a lot of leeway there, too; the less you knead, the longer you let the dough ferment, as fermentation develops gluten every bit as good as kneading does. It’s all so flexible… that’s what I love about yeast bread. Enjoy – PJH
March 9th, 2011 at 10:48 am
Oh, how delicious thye look ! I got to make starter today, so we can hae them tomorrow. Thank you posting the recipe. This is something I have been looking for long time. I shall let you know how I did. elizabeth
March 9th, 2011 at 11:26 am
These look absolutely wonderful! Have you tried them with Whole Wheat or White Whole Wheat flour?
I am not sure if Sue tried it with whole wheat but you certainly could make the substitution. Try replacing the AP with 1 – 1 1/2 c. of WWW or WW in the second addition. You may need to add 1-2 t. more liquid to balance the dough’s consistency. Elisabeth
March 9th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
Oh, these are too lovely!
I am now tempted to try them with a sourdough starter – what do you think?
I would have to increase the bulk fermentation time, but perhaps it would work well too….
Do them with fed sourdough stepping in for the overnight starter. If you don’t add any yeast at all then yeah, you’d have to increase the bulk fermentation time quite a bit… PJH
March 9th, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Oh THANK YOU PJ! THIS is the recipe I’ve been waiting for. Read this at about 10:00 PM last night and almost stirred up the starter…wishing I had now. Will do it tonight and try them tomorrow. Thank you again!
Good luck, hope you love them! ~Amy
March 9th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
PJ, these look great. I would like to try the whole wheat variation mentioned by Elizabeth. I prefer to measure by weight when I bake. Can you tell me the weight measurement for white whole wheat flour for this recipe?
March 9th, 2011 at 12:35 pm
The rolls look wonderful. I’m reminded of a neighborhood coffee shop that serves chili or clam chowder in a large version of these rolls. I believe they call them bread bowls. Would adding sourdough starter make these rolls into sourdough rolls?
Substituting fed starter for the overnight starter would make these officially sourdough. They may not taste really sour; I’m thinking more of a tang instead… But they should be fine. Enjoy- PJH
March 9th, 2011 at 12:55 pm
These look great! I do have one question though – can I do the starter tonight and come back to it tomorrow around noon? Or is that too long for “overnight?”
Do it this evening, should be fine till tomorrow noon… PJH
March 9th, 2011 at 4:01 pm
Don’t you just love it when you find a recipe you thought was lost forever?
Just yesterday I was wishing for a good hard roll recipe. I’ll definitely give this one a go!
March 9th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
Why, oh why do you guys hate me? I am trying SO HARD to be good and follow a “food plan for weight loss” and exercise and THEN I see THIS recipe. *SIGH* Bread very well may be my downfall…
Bake & share. Bake & share. Repeat after me: bake & share…
PJH
March 9th, 2011 at 4:33 pm
I cannot wait to try these rolls. They remind me of Vienna Rolls. Since I left RI there is nothing remotely close to this type of roll in GA. Although I am fairly new to bread baking, I find it to be very satisfactory compared to the overpriced soft rolls from the market.
Thank you King Arthur Flour.
Good luck with these, Marietta – I think you’ll find they’re very close to Vienna rolls… PJH
March 9th, 2011 at 4:38 pm
PJ,
Share with my hips, you mean?
I think I may have gotten “does not play well with others” on a report card somewhere along the line!
Actually, I love to make stuff for others, so that’s a very good idea. I just need to get it out of the house before I eat it all! Not much I like better than to eat bread fresh out of the oven with lots of creamy butter. Oh man! Now I’m doing it to myself! LOL
March 9th, 2011 at 6:43 pm
PJ Did anyone ever tell you you are a poet at heart ? The way you describe recipes is such a pleasure to read. Even if I am not interested in the recipe itself I still will read what you say about it. Of course I am very interested in this one. Love crunchy rolls.
Thanks so much, Ria – I’ve always liked to think I’m part of Garrison Keillor’s (imaginary) organization, POEM (Professional Organization of English Majors); I actually did major in English in college… I just like words, and have for my whole life. Thanks again – PJH
March 9th, 2011 at 7:41 pm
This is my first yeasted bread of any kind. My dough was matching your pictures exactly until the point of turning out after first rise. They just seem too wet and sloppy. Couldn’t roll into tight balls as pix show. THey are in for the cool rise now. And I will eat them no matter what. As you’ve said, there is no “bad” home baked bread. Any ideas where I may have gone wrong? I mixed in KA for over 10 mins. on medium speed, and could not get the dough to form around the hook. Thank you for this great awesome web site!
Lisa, I suggest you call our hotline: 802-649-3717. It’s much easier to get to the bottom of this kind of issue via a back-and-forth, live conversation. I’m sure they can help you. Hope they’re tasty anyway – PJH
March 9th, 2011 at 8:18 pm
which step/steps are actually contributing to the crisp crust? The egg white and water wash? No need for steaming/ice cubes/water spray etc…
I cant wait to try it!Will certainly report back the result.
Thanks King Arthur
Yes, the egg white/water is mostly responsible – you’ll notice thre’s much more water than is usual in an egg white wash, so it’s equivalent to spritzing or brushing the rolls with water, which is equivalent to the ice cubes/steam in the oven process. Looking forward to hearing your experience with these- PJH
March 10th, 2011 at 6:56 pm
ok, I am sitting here typing with 1 hand because I am eating the lovely crunchy roll. I even let it cool in the oven, which was hard to do. Now I need to go and deliver them to daughters’ house and nieces’ house before I give into temptation !
Hope you liked them as much as I do, Ria- PJH
March 10th, 2011 at 6:58 pm
P.S. I am going to make picture of them and put it on my page.
I’ll look forward to seeing it. Community page, right? PJH
March 10th, 2011 at 9:51 pm
These are beautiful. I am amazed in your courage in slashing the rolls. I have to bake my bread without slashes because I just know the knife will be unable to cut the bread and just smash it down, or will catch on the roll and deform it to and oval or ……. Do you have a special knife to do the actual cut?
Just a really sharp one… Nothing special, though – a chef’s knife. It’s more the action – you have to be assertive yet controlled. Iron hand in a velvet glove. Slash! Slash! Then quickly – QUICKLY – into the oven. I’ve shaped baguette dough and then just practiced slashing it. It was worth it to get the “feel” of it. PJH
March 10th, 2011 at 11:25 pm
Made the rolls today – a huge success!
Holly, thanks for sharing. Isn’t it fun to find a new “go to” recipe? PJH
March 10th, 2011 at 11:37 pm
I knead my bread doughs in my Cuisinart DLC-X -I find the best thing for slashing buns and shaped bread doughs is the steel blad from the processor – serrated and very sharp!!
What a neat idea! Thanks for sharing here- PJH
March 11th, 2011 at 11:24 am
These are absolutely WONDERFUL! Used this recipe and made them over the last two days! This recipe is a KEEPER!
March 11th, 2011 at 11:55 am
I first had rolls like this when I was visiting Caribbean islands. I was a travel agent and made many visits on ‘fam’ trips and always looked forward to the crusty, spherical rolls. They were usually white but at times whole wheat. Always delicious!!!
When I lived outside of Boston, we could buy larger rolls, looked like kaisers but were very crusty and sold as Bulky Rolls. I used them to make submarine-type sandwiches. Here in NC they only seem to have one type of bread and rolls – soft, soft, softer. I will have to try this recipe, forming them as Bulkies.
March 11th, 2011 at 3:19 pm
PJ, I have a question. In your recipe, you say that yeast doesn’t reproduce in dough. But in the 200th anniversary cookbook, it says “By the end of the first rising the dough will contain almost twice as much yeast as it did when it started. … Because there is twice as much yeast working, the second rising will take about half as much time as the first.” A boo boo in the book?
I can’t wait to try these rolls. I have been looking for good hard rolls for a long time. And by the way, yesterday I made your chocolate bar thingies from earlier this week, and my family deeply and dearly thanks you. My husband came upstairs last night when he got home and as I was nursing the baby and said, “I really like this PJ person.” You’re a hero here.
Thanks for your kind comments! Much appreciated. I wouldn’t say it’s a mistake in the 200th cookbook; but in the 20 years since that was written, yeast research has come a long way. We JUST learned that about yeast reproduction last month, from the folks at SAF. So – I’m going with current info. from the experts. PJH
March 11th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
PJ, the picture is up. Yes go to “Community”page and I think you type in my “omaria” name and you get to my page, then click on “more pictures” (For others who don’t know how to get there and want to have a look)
Ah, and lovely rolls they are, too – hope you don’t mind my sharing the link – thanks for posting! PJH
March 12th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
I made two minor mistakes, did rise in the pan on the counter, before I chilled them in fridge, also I had a minor oven issue (I forgot I was slow roasting tomatoes) and had to keep opening the oven to remove spilled charred tomatoes, the taste is great, the outsides never got crispy brown, due to the oven door being opned and closed so many times.
Will try again, when I am not distracted by children or my own stupidity
March 12th, 2011 at 6:40 pm
I just recently found your blog and I just had to try these beautiful rolls. My family couldn’t wait for them to come out of the oven! My husband is raving about them – says these are the kind you get in a fancy steak restaurant. Now he wants a filet, creamed spinach, and a nice piece of cheesecake to go with the rolls. I think I’ve created a monster. Thank you for the recipe!
March 13th, 2011 at 7:10 pm
These rolls are absolutely amazing! I made them as instructed in the recipe. They are so delicious! It was difficult to stop with one…OK, it was difficult to stop after two.. After reading previous comments, I am anxious to try them with my sourdough starter. What would be the amount of fed starter to use? Thank you for sharing!!
You can substitute 1 cup (about 8 ounces) sourdough starter for the overnight starter. Glad you like them! PJH
March 14th, 2011 at 7:31 am
My husband and I live in WI, but lived in NH for years. When we used to visit friends in VT we always made a stop to get Ba Ba Louis rolls. I made these yesterday and various issues kept delaying the process. I was doing all the various steps, just not in a particularly timely fashion. Anyways, we finally got to bite into our first roll at 9:00 PM (!) last night. My husband and I each took a bite, chewed a few times, then with mouths still full, mumbled, “Ba Ba Louis! rolls!”. I am just thilled to have this recipe. One question though. Considering the considerable time investment required, can one double this recipe? Is it just a matter of doubling everything, or am I safer making two separate batches. Ba Ba Louis rolls always came out of the freezer fine and I’m sure these would too.
You can double everything except the yeast in the starter – use the same amount of yeast in the starter, but double the yeast to 1/2 teaspoon in the dough. I think that should work well. Glad they floated your boat!
PJH
March 14th, 2011 at 8:08 am
I hear the Germans add some type of malt to their rolls at times (I guess from beer production). Would the addition of maybe some diastatic malt have a positive effect? What about using bread flour?
Thanks for your help.
You could try adding 1/2 teaspoon diastatic malt – it might give you a slightly higher/faster rise. If you use bread flour, increase the water by a couple of tablespoons, or enough to make the dough look like the photos in the blog post. PJH
March 14th, 2011 at 9:35 am
Thanks for your repsonse on doubling the recipe PJ, though I want to clarify. Would I double the other ingredients in the starter (water and flour) or do you keep ALL your starter ingredients the same, and double everything beyond that?
Double the starter ingredients EXCEPT for the yeast – keep that the same. Sorry for the confusion! PJH
March 14th, 2011 at 12:21 pm
I have a Zo and would like to use it to knead the dough. First, can I mix the starter in the pan of Zo (in one corner, gently) and leave it overnight so I’m all ready to continue in the pan the next day? Second, how do I adjust the rise times for using the bread machine? Do I press the dough button as usual and then shape the dough when it finishes, or would there be more rise time required beyond the standard dough setting time? Can I actually use that special button for setting your own times for the different steps if it needs more time? I’ve never been brave enough to create my own program, but I may as well learn to use it. Thanks.
I checked the blog and you can make the dough in the machine on the dough cycle. You can use the bread pan to make your starter in, then leave it lightly covered overnight. Pop it into the machine, add the other ingredients and set the dough cycle. Then at the end of the cycle, pick it up where you begin the second 1 hour rise. ~ MaryJane
March 15th, 2011 at 11:09 am
I made these using the dough cycle of my Zo. I shaped the rolls and froze for three days. Then I thawed them in fridge for 18 hours. The rolls came out looking exactly like your photos, and the flavor was terrific! But the crust was definitely more on the chewy/leathery side than the shattering side. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Hmmm… might have been the freezing part; the crust might have become a bit gummy during the freezing/thawing process. This would thicken it a bit, which would make leathery rather than crisp. Also, if your oven wasn’t hot enough, this would have the same effect… PJH
March 15th, 2011 at 8:28 pm
I made it last saturday and intended to bring it to a friend .But we ended up tasting it during the ride and it was almost gone by the time we reached my friend’s home.These got great comment but one thing I wish to improve is that the crust is not as crusty and shaterry crisp as I wished for. Can I get it by increase the oven temp? Will keep trying.Thanks!
Yes, it may be that the oven wasn’t quite hot enough. Try bumping it up 25°F and keeping a close eye on the baking time. ~ MaryJane
March 16th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
Are there any adjustments I have to make to bake this on a broiler pan? No sheet sheets or parchment about the place (T_T)
Broiler pan would be just fine… just don’t get carried away and broil the rolls!
PJH
March 16th, 2011 at 9:18 pm
I made these rolls today and although they weren’t the prettiest things, the taste was fantastic. I have trouble slashing. I made eight rolls and put them on my half sheet pan. It wasn’t quite big enough so they became attached. I will definitely be doing this recipe again. It seems that I never get the oven spring shown on the blog but I’ll keep plugging. Also I cooked them at 450 as suggested in order to make sure I got a shattering crust for 22 minutes and allowed them to sit in the oven for an hour. Thanks for the recipe KAF.
Marietta, are you using SAF instant yeast and King Arthur Flour? Watching the amount of salt closely? I’m trying to figure out what might be affecting your oven spring. Is your oven up to temperature, measured on an independent thermometer (aside from the oven temperature dial)? Keep at it- experimenting is always delicious, isn’t it?
PJH
March 17th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
Hi PJ! I am using SAF and King Arthur Flour. I measured my salt according to the recipe and the dough rises properly. After slashing, it deflates. I may need to check the oven as you suggested because it seems the spring just isn’t anything like the rise shown on the blog.
Slash quickly – don’t fuss over each roll, as by the time you’re done, the first ones will have deflated a lot. And be sure to put the rolls directly into the oven – once you ascertain your oven is indeed accurate, I think this will help. One more thing – if the rolls have risen too much, they won’t have much oven spring. So don’t let them rise to their “ultimate” height before slashing, OK? Good luck – PJH
March 21st, 2011 at 8:25 am
Thank you PJ for another winner of a recipe. I made these yesterday, followed your directions (your photos are always helpful!) and ended up with a dozen absolutely beautiful, yummy hard rolls! Golden brown, crusty with soft billowy flavorful interior. Spread with soft butter, they were perfect with the split pea soup and salad that we had for dinner. Because of you, my baking skills have soared. Practice makes perfect and with each KAF blog post looking better than the one before I am getting lots and lots of practice! So many recipes, so little time! My husband and my friends thank you!
So glad we’re enhancing your reputation as your family’s best baker!
PJH
March 23rd, 2011 at 2:32 am
Can i make the starter and the bread using “bread flour” instead of AP flour? are they interchangeable? Thank you!
Bread flour is stronger (higher protein level) it is designed exclusively for yeasted bread baking. Loaves and rolls come out a bit chewier with bread flour. You may substitute freely between the two. Give it a try. Frank @ KAF.
March 26th, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Just ate two! Delicious. I became confused on the final rise time. I second guessed myself whether the rise for the formed rolls was 1-2 hours on the counter Plus similar time in the refrigerator or not. I ended up with about 2 hours on the counter and 30-45 min in the refrigerator. No matter. They were delicious. While my crust was not “shattering”, it was wonderful. Next time I will chill longer in the refrigerator and bake at 25 degrees higher as suggested. I did use a teaspoon of diastatic malt. I made some of them oblong because we had them as rolls (brotchen) for bratwurst. They were fabulous. Glad to hear they freeze well. Next time I will make a double batch. I’m saving a couple of “round” ones to have with strawberry preserves!
Yes, let the rolls rise until they’re quite puffy, then refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, to develop their flavor. And maybe “shattering” is misleading; the crust is thin and crisp, though doesn’t slake off in shards, like a baguette does. Enjoy the preserves – sounds wonderful! PJH
March 26th, 2011 at 8:40 pm
PJ, your blog inspires me to bake! I keep making your trusted recipes knowing they have your creativity and taste signature. I have been hunting the web this week hoping for more posts from you only to find none. So, instead, I went back a couple weeks for more inspiration…which led me to this recipe! Great digging to breathe fresh life into this recipe. I loved it! Would you call this ciabatta rolls? I would like to make these into bigger loaves or mini baguettes, but I do not know what I could use them for since they are so chewy and crusty. Any thoughts? They were delicious! Bravo once again!
Thanks so much – the word “inspire” makes ME “smile more,” as that’s one of our three chief goals here at King Arthur. We have this plastered on signs all over our buildings: “Inspire. Educate. Bake.” So, glad I could help. MaryJane and I pretty much divvy up the blogs, and it just so happened she had several in a row; I’m kicking back into gear this week (Tuesday), and will be posting frequently again.
I wouldn’t call these ciabatta rolls, as their interior isn’t full of large holes, as a ciabatta would be. I’d call them more of a Vienna roll. And I think they’d be great for sandwiches. If you think they’re too crusty/chewy, use a soft sandwich filling (chicken salad, tuna salad, etc.), wrap tightly, and let rest in the fridge for several hours; this will soften them a bit. Enjoy! PJH
March 27th, 2011 at 10:44 pm
These rolls are GREAT!
I just finished my second batch, since the first turned out picture perfect. This time I decided to double the recipe (per recommendations above) and go for bread-bowls for soup.
It worked pretty well, I divided the doubled dough into 8 “bowls” which were just a little bit too small to be properly a bread-bowl, but worked just fine just the same.
Also, a little tip. In my haste to get them ready, I completely forgot about the egg wash, and didn’t remember until I checked on them probably 10 minutes into their baking. My wife suggested brushing on some Olive Oil, and sure enough it created a VERY good crust and color. Not exactly the same as the egg wash would’ve been, but an excellent save if you forget.
Thanks again for the great recipe, It’s a lot of time invested but completely worth it.
Dave, these would indeed make wonderful bread bowls – thanks for the inspiration, I’ll have to try that next time. And thanks for the olive oil tip, as well- bet that makes a tasty crust… PJH
March 30th, 2011 at 1:56 pm
Would these be what they call in Germany “Brotchen” rolls?If so I’m on my way to the kitchen!
Thanks
March 30th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
PJ, I’ve made these twice and they were delicious and the exterior was wonderfully crunchy. But there’s one problem — I can’t get them to look nearly as beautiful as yours!
Do you have any slashing tips? Most of my slashes disappeared even though I tried to go deep enough. Should I flour or wet the knife in between cuttings? Is a serrated knife better? I tried the first batch with a paring knife, and the second with kitchen shears (barely slightly better result). I also plan to try the olive oil tip!
–Shirley
Shirley, we hope to have a video of slashing techniques in the near future. I used a sharp chef’s knife, held at a 45° angle to the surface of the roll, and slashed quickly, decisively, and probably 1/4″ to 3/8″ deep. Really, it has to be fast, like swatting a fly; you can’t hesitate, or the knife will get stuck and drag. Practice makes perfect – or, at least better!
PJH
March 30th, 2011 at 8:33 pm
I’ve always been a lurker on this blog but I have never commented before but these rolls were spectacular! After the first bite I was hooked and this will never become a lost recipe! The last batch I made I baked in a round loaf and it is just as glorious as the rolls. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Serena
Serena, thanks for stepping up and posting your thoughts here – welcome! Glad the rolls (and loaf) were a hit for you- PJH
April 6th, 2011 at 10:42 am
I made these twice with great results and then used the same dough to make baguettes which also worked well. I bake in the UK and our flour is different (as you know). For your all purpose flour I substitute half-in-half our plain flour (low Protein) with high protein imported Canadian flour. It seems to work.
In 1987 and then in 1994 I spent two separate semesters at Dartmouth while my husband taught there and I have very happy memories of your Vermont store. It is lovely to have found this blog. I use my King Arthur anniversary cookbook all the time.
We are glad to be part of your good memories. Thank you for sharing this with us. ~Amy
April 6th, 2011 at 10:57 am
PJ, I’ve made these three times now. First time followed the recipe to a T. They came out perfect. Second time, doubled the recipe using your instructions. Didn’t have enough AP flour, so I subbed in 2 cups of white WW. Still wonderful. The third time I doubled the recipe again, but used 3 cups white WW flour. Still good, but better with only 2 cups – they seem to be getting kind of heavy with three cups. Ok, so the question is, I was looking at the catalog last night and noticed that your Artisan Bread Flour has the same protein content as AP, but with a touch of white whole wheat. Do you think this would work well for these rolls, or is the additional cost of the flour not compensated for with additional great taste? Thanks!
Hmmm… Tough question. The Artisan flour would work very well in these rolls; the touch of white wheat, the mix of winter and spring wheats, and the ascorbic acid all combine to replicate, as closely as possible, the European-type bread experience. I’d say it’s up to you (and your finances) to decide if the extra cost is worth it… You could substitute KA AP flour, plus white wheat and ascorbic acid, if you wanted to make a homemade version to try. PJH
April 7th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
I appreciate the photos in the blog even though I made my first batch without seeing it. Next time I will use the same bowl as my mixer for the starter and cut deeper into the roll before baking. I couldn’t fit two baking pans on the same level and made the mistake of putting one tray on the bottom of the oven; burned on the bottom.
The good news: the rolls came out great and probably the finest tasting bread I have made so far.
Thanks KAF.
I am glad you liked the flavor. These are tasty and beautiful rolls! Elisabeth
May 4th, 2011 at 4:14 am
I made this recipe on a broiler pan, they came out deliciously! Problem I’m having right now is that I prepped the starter but it spent about 12 hours on the counter and then a house mate decided to pop it in the fridge where it was been for close to 24 hours.
Question is, should I (sadly) toss it and start over or is it still usable?
Should be just fine if you used a good strong yeast (not Fleischmann’s RapidRise). Give it a try; it may take longer to rise. If you’re worried, you could also add another teaspoon of instant yeast. Thankfully, it takes a lot to “disable” yeast dough. Enjoy! PJH
February 11th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
Can you use ADY in place of the instant and still leave overnight? Do I follow the recipe as is using the ADY?
Absolutely, Kathy; your rising times may be a bit longer, but no changes in ingredients are necessary. Enjoy – PJH