Norm's NY Style Onion Rolls-OMG- GREAT!
Norm's Onion Rolls
Onion Crumb
First off I have to say, stop what ever you're doing now and run to a store to pick up some dry onions so you can make these up tonight. This is an amazing recipe and your home will smell like heaven of roasting onions. Norm, I wish I could shake your hand in person. This is a home run (sorry about the Mets) and the recipe you posted worked perfectly for me, first time. I made a dozen batch and was planning on sharing with the next door neighbors but the sun got in my eyes and I didn't get to it lol.
There are several versions of this recipe on the site and I think I should show the link that I believe was corrected by the baker himself. This batch uses 32 Oz of flour and will make 12-4Oz rolls just like the ones shown above. For clarity, here is the recipe as I made it.
One last thought. Be sure to save the water from hydrating the onions and use it as part of the dough water. The improvement in flavor is amazing. To be honest I forgot that step until I was about to mix the dough. The water had so much aroma I threw the whole liquid part out and started over with the onion water. It only cost me an egg and a small amount of oil and yeast. It was well worth the extra effort.
I hope you enjoy this gift from our friend Norm.
Topping:
1/4 c. dehydrated onion flakes
1T poppy seeds
1/4t salt
1T oil
Soak the onion flakes in boiling water until they're fully hydrated, then drain and add other ingredients; set aside until you need them. (BTW, according to Norm, you can also use this same topping for bialys). SAVE THE ONION WATER FOR USE LATER IN DOUGH
Dough:
32oz bread or first-clear flour (I used bread flour)
16oz water Use all of the water from hydrating the onion plus make up to 16 Oz.
1.5oz beaten egg
1.5 oz sugar
0.5 oz malt syrup/powder
1.5 oz vegetable oil
0.6oz salt
0.3oz active dry yeast (or equivalent cake/instant yeast) (2 teaspoons IDY)
1. Mix the water/malt/yeast and egg/oil separately; blend dry flour salt and sugar in mixer or by hand;
2. Add the liquids to the flour/sugar and hydrate well. This is a very stiff dough that will work either your back or your Kitchen Aid very hard.
3. Knead for about 10 min until the dough is very smooth and elastic, then set aside and let rise until doubled in bulk.
4. Turn dough, which will be incredibly silky, onto a dry board (no additional flour) and punch down, shape into 3-4 oz boules and let rest, covered, for at least 20 min.
5. Norm suggests spreading the topping onto the work surface and then pressing the boules flat into discs about 1/4"-1/2" thick. This works fine IF you let the dough rest, covered for at least 20 minutes as Norm suggests.
6. Preheat the oven to 450, Cover the rolls and let fully proof until about doubled in size. Just before loading into oven, press a dimple with your thumb in the center. Bake on parchment with a light spritz of water into the oven until they're nice and brown -- 20 minutes in my oven on a sheet pan.
Eric, those look delicious.
I intended to make these when Norm first shared his formula. Somehow, I got sidetracked and then forgot about them.
Thanks for the reminder! Next weekend!
David
Same here David,
I saw a post a day or so back and it reminded me about them. You will love this recipe especially if you use the water. Oh mama the dough smells out of this world. Best ever!
BTW I cleaned up the many posts on this. Some people were confused about quantities. This is the real deal as Norm intended.
Eric
As many of my old bosses would say it's an onion roll for God sakes what are you getting so excited about.
But as I've said before on this site it's not about the foof (bread) it's about the memories behind it.
If making these and eating them bring back memories good memories of times past quieter times, slower times, better times... than I've done my job. Below are three links to the original posts that started this excitement about onion roll's enjoy.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/6245/another-one-norm-onion-rolls
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/keyword/onionrolls
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/6293/norm039s-onion-rolls
Yes Norm just an onion roll. But what a roll! Many good memories and hopes for good days ahead for the New Year.
Thanks for all you do Norm. Lot's of us appreciate your gift.
Eric
Hi, Norm.
L'shanah tovah!
David
Those look mighty tasty! Another one bookmarked..for the to do list! Thanks Norm for the formula and Eric for the enticement!
Hi, Eric.
I just want to thank you for this entry and to endorse the advice you gave ...
Unfortunately, there were just not enough hours left in the day after I got home from the office, so the onion rolls had to wait for the weekend. But your enthusiasm for these onion rolls was fully justified. Now, I'm not sure what heaven smells like, but my wife was out shopping while my onion rolls were baking. When she got back, the first thing she said after walking through the door was, "It smells like a Jewish bakery in here!" It is not beyond belief that heaven does, indeed, smell like a Jewish bakery, so you may both be correct.David
You may well be right about the smell of heaven, very well put. Glad they turned out for you. Were you able to get a crispy top?
Remember try not to be to excited around Norm over these, it's "Just an Onion Roll".
Eric
Hi, Eric.
The onion roll tops were very crispy/crunchy.
See my blog entry on the onion rolls for my take on "just an onion roll."
David
Those look Great David! Convection heat probably helps to get that over all brown crispy top. Did you do anything different to the tops?
Eric
Hi, Eric.
I used convection at 425F at first, but after 10 min. or so, I switched to regular bake. The rolls were browning too fast on convection.
I really didn't do anything "different" from your recipe except introduced a brief rest (10 min.) between the initial mixing and kneading. I mixed the dough in a KA with dough hook for 12 min. at Speed 2.
I attributed the tops to the malt syrup and good spacing of the pieces on the stone.
BTW, I'm not at the office this afternoon and am making another batch of onion rolls to take to L.A. (If I don't eat the whole batch for dinner tonight.)
David
Please folks - what is malt syrup or malt powder and how necessary is it for making these rolls? Have been to 3 grocery stores and a health food store. I'm not finding it. Looking in the flour/sugar/baking area? Didn't think to ask the bakery if they had some they'd sell or give.
Would appreciate your help. Micki
I haven't seen malt powder in stores around Milwaukee but the syrup is common. I the store I go to it's i the health food section near baking supplies and also near the molasses. Try a home brewing supply store. All else failing you could use molasses or honey or I suppose sugar. Not much would be needed, maybe a couple teaspoons.
Eric
Thanks, Eric, for the info. I hadn't thought of checking around the molasses. Micki
on my list to make...as soon as I replenish the Kaiser rolls we just finished and some everyday whole wheat pan bread.
Those onion rolls are a nostalgic vision from my past. When we were first married, 42 years ago, we used to get corned beef sandwiches on onion rolls at a nice sandwich restaurant in Gainesville, FL. I have not found a roll to equal them since. Norm's rolls look like the real thing! I can't wait to try them.
Catherine
Hi,
I live in Bangkok and not really sure I can find the onion flakes here.Is there any other option?can I use fresh onions and dry it myself?How long does it take in the oven and at what temperature ?
BTW- how do I switch to metric system of measuring?
Can't help with the onion part but as I'm writing up the recipe and translating the amounts to grams, here they are.
NOTE: This is based on Norm's original recipe that makes six 4.5 oz rolls, while ehanner's (above) was bumped up to a dozen such rolls (i.e. doubled) so adjust accordingly.
I've also rearranged the ingredients so the dry stuff comes first since that's the order you'd add them into your mixing bowl.
Ek,
I have heard people say they dry onions at home but I have not tried it myself. Onions are mostly water so if you have a dehydrator or convection oven you might be able to accomplish this yourself. With all of the dried food items in your area I will be surprised if they are not available.
You need the dried onions to make the onion flavored water for the dough so this is important to the results. Good luck, these are very worth the effort.
Eric
You guys are just amazing.I got answeres in no time....I'm impressed.
BTW- I discovered this wonderful website by chance only a few days ago,and since then my life is not the same again(more or less).
I'm a professional pastry chef ,and plans to plans to open my very own first shop soon. This website is promising to be extremly useful for me here.
Hi Alainshep
Welcome to TFL.
A number of factors influence how long bulk fermentation & proofing will take, in particular temperature. Thus the mantra 'Watch the dough not the clock'.
In his version of Norm's onion rolls, Eric indicates 'let rise until double in bulk' & 'let fully proof until about double in size'. Figuring out when a 3D item has doubled in size can be pretty hard to judge. If you place your dough into a container with volume marked, (You can indicate a range of volume in a clear container, by filling it with measured cupfuls of water, and marking it) it is easy. Once the dough is formed into rolls, again it is a bit hard to decide what size is double. In this case you can place a small piece of dough in a small container marked with volume, to help determine when the double volume point has been reached.
Once you have made these a couple of times you'll have a better idea of timing in your kitchen.
Lots of cooking books provide a time guideline, but you can be sure that you will make better rolls if you learn to recognise when the dough is ready for the next step.
Let us know how you get on next time you make these.
(Sadly, both Norm and Eric died, it always makes me happy to see people making things they have shared here.)