Kaiser Rolls

When I was a kid, kaiser rolls were the most tempting bread at the grocery store. The combination of their distinct aroma, fluffy texture, and seeded toppings made them irresistible. I am overjoyed to finally be making them at home, and I'm sure my younger self would be satisfied with the results.
(Another one from Peter Reinhart)

This takes 2 days to make.

Day 1: make the pre-ferment (pate fermentée)

Ingredients:
1 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1 c unbleached bread flour
1/2 t salt
1/4 t instant yeast
3/8 c + 1 T water, room temp

Sift together the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add 3/8 c water, and stir until everything is combined into a workable dough. Add the remaining water if needed. (err on the wet side.)

Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead 4-6 minutes until the dough is soft and tacky but not sticky. Oil and place in a bowl. Cover in plastic wrap and let sit at room temp ~1 hr, until 1.5 times original size.

Remove from the bowl and knead to degas. Replace in the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Day 2: make the bread

Remove the pate fermentée from the fridge 1 hour before beginning. Cut it into 10 pieces, cover it with a towel or plastic wrap and let it sit.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c pate fermentée (see above)
2 1/4 c bread flour
3/4 t + pinch of salt
1 t diastatic barley malt powder or 1 1/2 t barley malt syrup
1 t instant yeast
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 1/2 T vegetable oil or shortening, melted
10 T to 3/4 c water, lukewarm
*optional: Poppy and sesame seed toppings
Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting

After 2 hours rising

In a large bowl, combine the pate fermentée, egg, 10 T water, and oil/shortening. Sift in the dry ingredients, then mix everything together until it combines into a ball. If needed, add all of the water.

Transfer the dough to a floured counter and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is soft and tacky but not sticky. Place in an oiled bowl and let rise, covered with plastic wrap for 2 hrs.

Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 9 pieces for small rolls, 6 pieces for large rolls. Form each piece into a small roll, mist with oil, and let rest 10 minutes. While the dough is resting, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, mist with oil, and dust with semolina flour/cornmeal.

To shape the rolls, take each piece and roll it out to a strip 6''-8'' long. Tied the strand into a knot, keeping your finger in the middle of the knot. Take the ends and keep twisting around the strand, so one goes up through the center hole, and one goes down through the center hole. After trying a few, I figured out this works best when you pull on the dough to maintain surface tension while you are tying and twisting. (don't worry it won't break.)

Roll out each piece into a strand

Knot each strand into a roll

Ready to rise after shaping

Place the shaped pieces upside down on the parchment paper, and let rise 45 minutes. Flip over and let rise another 30-45 minutes more, until doubled in size.

While the rolls are on their second rise, preheat the oven to 450 F, with the oven rack in the middle. Have a misting spray bottle on hand. If you want to add seeds to the rolls, mist them and sprinkle with poppy or sesame before baking.

Place the pan in the oven, mist the walls, and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees, and lower the oven to 400 F. Continue baking until the rolls are medium golden brown, approximately 15-30 minutes for large rolls, less for small. Transfer the rolls to a cooling rack and wait 30 minutes before serving.