Kimmelweck Rolls (Hard Rolls)
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Kimmelweck rolls look like Kaiser rolls but they are topped with caraway seeds and coarse salt with a crispier crust than typical Kaiser rolls. Also called Weck rolls or hard rolls, Kimmelweck rolls are typically used to sandwich sliced beef.
I love these rolls because they don’t take too long to make but the flavor and texture is really outstanding. Crusty on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.
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Overview
These Kimmelweck rolls are pretty easy to make; most of the time is hands-off time while the dough is proofing.
To Make the Dough
- Add water and yeast to bowl of standing mixture and mix to activate yeast (if needed, I use instant yeast and this step is not needed but will not hurt)
- Add sugar, honey (or malt syrup), oil and half of the flour and mix until combined.
- Add salt and the remaining flour.
- Mix on low speed until combined and then increase speed slightly and mix for 5 to 8 minutes until you can stretch the dough out into a thin sheet (windowpaning)
- Place dough in a oiled bowl, cover and let rise in warm spot for 1 hour.
- I like to use the oven with light turned on OR I microwave a cup of water and place the bowl with dough in the microwave to rise.
- After 1 hour, punch down dough and let rise again for another 30 minutes.
- After the second rise, cut the dough into 6 pieces and shape into a ball.
- To shape kaiser rolls, use a kaiser stamp on top of round rolls OR if you don’t have a stamp, you can roll each piece into a rope and then loosely tie the rope
- Place rolls on cornmeal dusted baking sheet and let rise in warm place for 40 to 50 minutes or until almost doubled. If you kitchen is cold, consider placing a pot of simmering water nearby.
How to Shape the Rolls
- After dividing dough into 6 pieces, roll out each piece into a long rope. Use a little flour if necessary.
- Cross the ends over each other
- Tuck one end under
- Tuck the other end on top and through the hole in center
- Done!
To Bake the Rolls
- Prepare a baking pan by lightly sprinkling parchment paper with cornmeal
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees about 20 minutes before end of final proof
- Brush top of proofed rolls with egg white, sprinkle kosher salt and caraway seeds, and place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for about 15 minutes.
Tips for Making
- Make sure dough is kneaded sufficiently; this is probably one of the biggest mistakes people make when baking bread. A very well kneaded dough will help to give you a thin crisp crust. A windowpane test shows sufficient development.
- Weighting ingredients (most importantly the flour) will give you more accurate and consistent results.
- Proof sufficiently (let the dough rise enough)
- Double proofing: this dough rises twice (three times including the final rise)
- Steam in the oven: spraying water and throwing ice on oven floor creates steam which helps produce oven spring.
- Wet hands to help handle dough if it’s sticky.
Storage
These rolls are considered an enriched bread because of the oil so they stay fresh for 1 day after baking. For longer storage, slice and freeze. The crust will soften if storing in plastic bag so they are best eaten the day they are baked.
📖 Recipe
Kimmelweck Rolls Recipe
Equipment
- Standing mixer
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
- 1 cup (236.59 g) warm water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 egg white
- 1.5 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 1 teaspoon honey or barley malt syrup
- 3 cups (375 g) bread flour up to 3 1/4 cups
For Topping
- 1 large egg white mixed lightly with a pinch of salt to make it easier to brush on roll
- kosher salt
- caraway seeds
For Baking
- cornmeal to line baking sheet
Instructions
To Make the Dough
- Add water and yeast to bowl of standing mixture and mix to activate yeast (if needed, I use instant yeast and this step is not needed but will not hurt)
- Add sugar, honey (or malt syrup), oil, egg white, and half of the flour and mix until combined.
- Add salt and the remaining flour.
- Mix on low speed until combined and then increase speed slightly and mix for 5 to 8 minutes until you can stretch the dough out into a thin sheet (windowpaning)
- Place dough in a oiled bowl, cover and let rise in warm spot for 1 hour. Wet hands to handle dough if it's a bit sticky.
- I like to use the oven with light turned on OR I microwave a cup of water and place the bowl with dough in the microwave to rise.
- After 1 hour, punch down dough and let rise again for another 30 minutes.
- After the second rise, cut the dough into 6 pieces and shape into a ball.
- To shape kaiser rolls, use a kaiser stamp on top of round rolls OR if you don't have a stamp, you can roll each piece into a rope and then loosely tie the rope
- Place rolls on cornmeal dusted baking sheet and let rise in warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled. If you kitchen is cold, consider placing a pot of simmering water nearby.
To Bake the Rolls
- Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper and lightly sprinkling with cornmeal (when I skip the parchment paper, sometimes the rolls stick to the baking sheet)
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees (about 20 minutes before end of final proof)
- Before putting bread in oven, toss about 2 cups of ice on oven floor OR spray the oven very well with water and then spray the rolls with water just before loading and after 2, and 5 minutes of baking.
- Brush top of proofed rolls with egg white, sprinkle then with kosher salt and caraway seeds.
- Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Check rolls at 10 minutes.
Storage
- Store rolls in airtight bag – they will lose their crisp but they keep well for an additional day or two. If you are storing longer, place in freezer bag and freeze the rolls. I like to slice them first before freezing.
The ingredients list 1 egg white in the dough but nothing in the instructions about an egg white.
Corrected! Thank you!
The best Kimmelweck roll recipe I’ve used… and I’ve tried many. My husband is from Buffalo and he agrees that these are perfect!
I baked these today, and they were exactly the rolls I’ve been looking for. Nice crust; fluffy interior. Great taste. Thanks for sharing.