Thursday, June 9, 2011

Burger Buns

Makes 8 regular sized or 12 mini burger buns ( or hot dog buns) 





For the buns

1/4 cup warm milk
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter(or margarine)
2 teaspoons yeast (or 1 packet)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
3 1/2 cups flour  

Egg wash (optional)
1 egg
2 tablespoons cold water


Measure out your water and milk and then add the butter (or margarine) and sugar right into your measuring cup. Now pop it in the microwave until it's pretty warm but not hot. Stir it around until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved. If you made it hot don't worry, just let it cool a bit. You're going to add the yeast right into here so that's why you don't want it to be too hot, you don't want to overactivate the yeast because you need it for the buns to rise. So if all is good then go ahead and add the yeast. Let it sit for a couple minutes.

Get your flour and salt into your mixing bowl while you wait and get an egg out of the fridge. I cracked mine into a teeny bowl because I like to pick out the gross white things, the connective tissue or chicken umbilical cord or whatever nastiness that is. And it makes it a bit easier to pour into a running mixer.


Has your yeasty mixture sat for a couple minutes now? Good! Start up the mixer and start slowly pouring it in with the flour. Feel free to dump in your egg now too. Let that mix for about 5 minutes or so before you take it out, pat it into a ball and then plunk it into an oiled bowl that you will now cover with plastic wrap. Now it needs to sit for an hour or 2 until it doubles. Feel free to do whatever you like now!


After the dough has risen to mammoth proportions dump it out onto your baking area and divide it into however many portions you like. I'm dividing it into 12 so that I can do mini hamburgers. Roll each piece into a ball and transfer to a baking sheet. Now they have to sit covered for yet another hour or 2!



I'm not bothering with a egg wash this time but if you want to sprinkle poppy or sesame seeds on top of your buns then you need to do this or they won't stick. Just mix the egg with the water and brush it on top of the buns using a pastry brush. If you don't have a pastry brush you could probably just dip the buns in but you may mangle them slightly in the process. Sprinkle with whatever you like. You could probably put Parmesan or Italian seasoning on top as well.


Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes in a preheated oven.

Maybe I should have mentioned that you might like to start this recipe earlier in the day? Lol. First time I made them I think I started them at like 5pm because I didn't notice the second rising time and was all like "Oh God WHY!? I want my burger now!" and then we had to wait until 10pm for dinner.

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