Instructions
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Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Mix, then knead together all of the dough ingredients — by hand, stand mixer, or in the bucket of a bread machine programmed for the dough cycle — to make a smooth, supple dough.
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Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl or dough-rising bucket, cover the bowl or bucket, and allow the dough to rise until noticeably puffy, about 1 hour.
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Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Divide the dough into six equal pieces. Shape the pieces into round balls, and place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
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Center a kaiser stamp over one ball of dough. Press down firmly, cutting nearly to the bottom but not all the way through. Repeat with the remaining rolls. If you don't have a kaiser roll stamp see an alternate shaping option in "tips," below.
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Place the rolls cut-side down (this helps them retain their shape) onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover the rolls, and allow them to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they've almost doubled in volume. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.
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Turn the rolls cut-side up. Dip their tops in milk, and coat with poppy or sesame seeds.
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Bake the rolls for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they're golden brown and feel light to the touch. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.
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Serve rolls warm, or at room temperature. Store leftover rolls, well wrapped, at room temperature for a couple of days; freeze for longer storage.
Tips from our Bakers
If you don't cut the unbaked rolls deeply enough, the shape disappears as they bake; if you cut too deeply (all the way through), the rolls will form "petals" as they rise and look like a daisy, not a kaiser roll.
Note that the simplest way to give these rolls their traditional shape is with a kaiser roll stamp.If you don't have a stamp, shape the dough into knots that resemble the classic kaiser roll — for details watch our short video on how to shape knots.