The Kaiser roll quandary

I love baking in midwinter, don’t you?  The heat of the oven, the smell of yeast, the golden brown perfection of baked goods…did I mention the heat of the oven?

I got a kaiser roll stamp for Christmas, and I’m trying to find a good kaiser roll recipe.  Not a big, shiny, bulky one that you might want to heap with corned beef and mustard.  But a thin, soft, flat one with a squishy matte surface.  One that toasts easily and makes a nice housing for an scrambled egg (a flat scrambled egg you can fold over, as in an Egg McMuffin).  Ideas, anyone?

I’ve tried many versions, but they’re either too dense, too firm, too high.  Even the soft ones in Bread Baker’s Apprentice, The Breads of France, and Artisan Breads Every Day had too much backbone.  I’ve been stuck buying the mass-produced kaisers at the supermarket and corner deli.  They’re OK, but I’d love to make my own.

I’m giving it one more try with the hamburger buns from Commonsense Kitchen. Then I’m throwing in the towel.  Bakers, what’s your favorite sandwich bun or bread?  what’s making your kitchen smell great this week?  Share your success! (care packages are welcome too.)