Kaiser Rolls

Pate Fermentée:
1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. bread flour
Scant 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. instant yeast
6 to 7 tbsp. water

Dough:
1 batch pate fermentée
1 1/4 c. bread flour
3/4 tsp. plus a pinch salt
1 tsp. instant yeast
1 lg. egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp. molasses
2 tbsp. honey or 3 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
10 tbsp. to 3/4 cup water
Milk, for brushing
Poppy or sesame seeds, for topping (optional)

To make pate fermentée, stir together flours, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 6 tbsp. water, and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Adjust flour or water according to need, so that dough is neither too sticky nor too stiff. Switch to dough hook and knead on low speed for 6 minutes, or until dough is soft and pliable, tacky but not sticky.

Lightly oil a bowl and transfer dough to bowl, rolling once to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and ferment at room temperature for 1 hour, or until it swells to about 1 1/2 times its original size. Remove dough from bowl, knead it slightly to degas, return it to bowl and cover again with plastic wrap. Place bowl in refrigerator overnight (or it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen in an airtight bag for up to 3 months).

Take pate fermentée out of refrigerator 1 hour before making dough. Cut into 10 pieces, cover with a towel and let sit at room temperature to take off the chill.

To make dough, combine flour, salt, and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add pate fermentée, egg, molasses, honey or sugar, vegetable oil, and 10 tbsp. water. Mix on low speed with paddle attachment until ingredients form a ball. If there is still some loose flour, add remaining 2 tbsp. water. Switch to dough hook and knead on low speed about 7 minutes, adding flour if needed to make a dough that is soft and supple, tacky but not sticky. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer dough to bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap. Ferment at room temperature for 2 hours or until dough doubles in size. If dough doubles in size before the 2 hour mark, remove it from bowl, knead lightly to degas, and return to bowl to continue fermenting until doubled from original size or until 2 hours have elapsed.

Remove dough from bowl and divide it into 6 to 9 equal pieces, depending on the size of roll you would like. Form dough pieces into balls. Mist lightly with spray oil, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with baking parchment, lightly mist with spray oil and dust with cornmeal or semolina flour.

To shape individual rolls, roll a ball of dough into a 12-inch strand. Tie a simple knot in the middle of the strand. Loop the loose ends around and into the center of the knot (one over, one under). Place roll onto parchment. Repeat with remaining dough balls. Lightly mist shaped rolls with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap.

Proof rolls for 45 minutes at room temperature, then flip them over so the opposite side is facing up. Recover with plastic wrap, and continue to proof for 30-45 minutes at room temperature, until the rolls are double their original size.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 425°F. Uncover rolls and prepare them for baking. If you want to top the rolls, brush lightly with milk and sprinkle with desired topping. If not topping the rolls, just brush with milk.

Place pan in oven, spray oven walls with water and close oven door. After 10 minutes, rotate pan for even baking and lower oven temperature to 400°F. Continue baking until rolls are a medium golden brown and register approximately 200°F in center (about 15 to 20 minutes for larger rolls, less for smaller rolls).

Remove rolls from pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before serving.