I’ve had the worst luck with making hamburger buns at home. Some that I try are too dense. Others the wrong size, or other troubles. You name it.
This recipe works fairly well for burger buns. They’re a little dense, but have a nice texture. This recipe is an amalgamation of several recipes I’ve tried.
I recommend cutting these in half and toasting before using. It makes for a much better burger experience.
What you’ll need:
- 3T warmed milk
- 2t active dry yeast
- 1T granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 420g (14.75 oz or 3.3 cups) bread flour (next time I’ll try regular flour to make them lighter and more tender)
- 1.5t fine-grain sea salt (or 1t ramen seasoning)
- 2.5T softened unsalted butter (2T of olive oil would work well, too)
Egg wash (optional)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- A little water
What to do:
In a medium bowl, whisk together one cup of 100-degree water, milk, yeast and sugar; set aside. Beat the egg in another bowl.
With a stand-mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the the flour, salt, and butter or oil for a few minutes at low speed.
Add the water/milk/yeast mixture and the egg to the mixer bowl and run the mixer at medium-low for about 5 or so minutes, until a sticky dough forms.
When the dough is fully mixed, shape it into a ball. Put the dough into a large, lightly-oiled bowl covered with a damp towel. Let it rise at 70 degrees until about doubled in size—about 1.5-2 hours.
After the dough has risen, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a floured knife or dough scraper, cut the dough into 8 equal pieces—I recommend cutting as if it were a pizza slices.
Shape the dough pieces into balls, and put them on the lined baking sheet. They’re going to expand, so keep then a few inches apart. You may have to use two baking sheets to have enough room. Cover and let them re-rise for about an hour. They’ll get puffy. An easy way to cover them is to spray one side of a piece of plastic-wrap with spray-oil, flip it over and cover the dough. The oil will keep it from sticking. Begin heating your oven to 400 degrees about 15 minutes left in your dough re-rise time.
If you using egg wash, whisk the egg and add a splash of water. When the buns are ready to bake, brush them with the egg wash and put them in the oven. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
When they’re done, let them cool in a rack so the bottoms don’t get soggy. Don’t forget to cut them in half toast the faces before using.
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