The more I bake bread, the more a couple of things have been happening. First, I am getting better at it. When you first start doing anything new, especially something with specific steps required for success, you’ll most likely struggle a bit… and when I say “struggle a bit”, I mean fail, but the good news is that you will start getting better the more you try!
I have also been realizing the big difference in both quality and taste of the homemade versions versus the store bought stuff, so lately I have been making more and more of the bread I need right in my own kitchen…
Today, we are baking up burger buns. I am making burgers tomorrow and wanted them to be nestled in some buttery, soft buns, so I am making my favorite brioche style burger buns for the occasion. They are tender inside with a great chewy outer crust and base making them perfect for big juicy burgers and since I am making them in my own kitchen, I can make some topped with sesame seeds, some with everything bagel seasoned and a few topped with cheese and herbs, so everyone will get what they want.
Let’s get started…
The first step is weighing your flour.
Now you don’t HAVE to weigh it out, but you definitely should. If you weigh out your ingredients, your buns will turn out exactly like mine, but if you don’t weigh your ingredients, your buns may be different. Too dry, too tough or too flat… who knows, but if they don’t turn out right, you won’t know why and that can be frustrating.
Inconsistent success is one of the biggest reasons that people don’t bake, but weighing out your ingredients is one of the easiest ways to guarantee that success.
Start by prepping your yeast. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of warm water, 1/4 cup of warm whole milk, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast (a 7 gram envelope). Let the yeast set aside for 5-7 minutes or until the yeast gets all foamy. This is the sign that your yeast is awake and ready to go.
While the yeast is blooming, gather 500 grams of bread flour, 2 tablespoons of room temperature butter, 1 large egg and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.
Add the bread flour, butter and salt into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and when the yeast has bloomed, add that into the bowl too.
Using the dough hook (or a silicone spatula, if working by hand), begin mixing on low until all of the flour has been incorporated and then increase the speed to medium and knead for 5-7 minutes or until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Note: If the dough continues to feel too sticky, you may need to add another tablespoon or 2 of flour while kneading, but only add additional flour if absolutely necessary. This dough should feel soft, tender and tacky.
Once the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl, transfer it into a large, lightly greased bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in a warm place for about an hour or until the dough has doubled in volume…
Before… after…
Look at how big and puffy the dough has gotten. This is exactly what you are looking for.
Next, transfer the dough onto a floured surface and divide it into 8 equal portions.
Eight portions will give you big buns… like smash burger sized buns, but if you prefer smaller buns you can definitely divide the dough into smaller portions.
Once you divide the dough, place a portion onto a floured area and pull all of the sides into the center of the portion, so when you flip the dough over, the underside is smooth.
Once your dough is all portioned out and rolled into smooth little buns, place them onto a parchment lined baking sheet leaving 2 inches between each portion.
Now let’s discuss the egg wash real quick. Typically, you egg wash bread after the second proof, but these buns are about to puff up really big and they are delicate when they are that fluffy, so I brush these buns with either an egg wash or heavy cream right after they are shaped into buns, instead of waiting to do this after the second proof.
If you are adding sesame seeds, bagel seasoning or any other toppings, do that now too.
Cover the buns with a lightly floured kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 60 minutes.
When the second proof is almost over, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Bake the buns at 400 degrees for 14-16 minutes. Once they are golden on top, transfer the buns to a cooling rack and let them cool for a bit before slicing.
These buns are so light, fluffy and just plain beautiful. This batch, I topped with sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning and some shredded parmesan and herbs. They are also great plain. I like to brush the plain buns with a little melted butter right after I pull them out of the oven to create a soft, buttery crust.
These buns are great for burgers (of course), but they are also great for BBQ chicken sandwiches, bacon egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches, chicken parmesan sliders or any other sandwich that can or should be placed on a bun. You will love these buns, however you decide to use them and with fall right around the corner, if you weren’t planning on grilling something that needs to be put on a bun… you should be…
Burger Buns
Ingredients
- 1 cup of water, warm (between 100-110 degrees)
- 1/4 cup of whole milk, warm (between 100-110 degrees)
- 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast (7 grams)
- 500 grams of bread flour (about 4 1/4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons of butter, softened
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 large egg
Toppings
- egg wash or heavy cream (for brushing)
- sesame seeds, poppyseeds, everything bagel seasoning (optional garnishes)
Instructions
- Combine 1 cup of warm water with 1/4 cup of warmed whole milk, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast in a small dish and set aside for 5-7 minutes or until foamy
- While the yeast is blooming, combine 500 grams of bread flour with 2 tablespoons of softened butter and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until combined
- Once the yeast mixture is foamy, add it to the flour along with a large egg and begin mixing with a dough hook on low speed
- Once the flour is fully incorporated, increase the mixing speed to medium and knead for 5-7 minutes adding additional flour a tablespoon at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl (add no more than 1/4 cup of additional flour)
- Transfer the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place for about 60 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size
- Once the dough has rested, divide it into 8 equal portions and shape into round balls
- Place the balls seam side down onto a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining portions of dough (leave 2 inches between each roll)
- Brush the tops of each roll with a whisked egg or some heavy cream and add any toppings you plan to add
- Cover the buns lightly with a lightly floured kitchen towel and let rest in a warm place for about 60 minutes or until the rolls have puffed and doubled in volume
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
- Bake the rolls in a 400 degree oven for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown
- Let the buns cool on a cooling rack before slicing
- Store leftovers in a bread bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months
