bun me

Buttery and packed with flavor, these buns are worthy of any burger- give them a try.

Equipment:

• Stand mixer w/ dough hook ( you can definitely make these by hand, but if you have a stand mixer, I would say use it)

• Scale (if using- you should! )

• Bench scraper or knife for cutting dough

• Large bowl or stand mixer bowl

• Small bowl ( for glaze )

• Baking sheet

• Cooling rack

• Kitchen towel, bowl cover, or plastic wrap

• Pastry brush

  
  Makes- 8 slider, 6 medium/ large, or 4 xtra large and in charge buns

Products used:

Links provided below-

• Active Dry Yeast- I prefer active dry over rapid or instant because I think the end result is a product that is more flavorful. That being said, it does require two rises, which Rapid Rise does not (typically neither does Instant, but double check your brand). If you’re short on time and prefer to use the rapid rise yeast (which is perfectly acceptable) * see notes below *

• King Arthur Bread Flour- Any bread flour will do, King Arthur is just my preference. If you only have all purpose, go ahead and use it instead

• Salted Flora or Miyoko’s Butter - These are my fave, but use whatever brand you prefer. Typically, I use unsalted butter for my baked goods to get a more reliable result (different butters have different levels of saltiness), but there are some cases (this being one of them) that I prefer to use salted.

• Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt- the chef’s salt for various reasons I won’t get into here, but…it contains 53% less sodium than standard salt, so that’s why I say to use half if you’re using Morton or table salt.

• Domino Sugar- now, this is a tricky one… my supplier list it as vegan and Domino has stated in the past that the sugar coming from Baltimore, MD, Yonkers, NY or South Bay, FL are all vegan, but at the time (this was around 2017), the supplies coming from west coast were not. Now, this is a good 5 years, so I suspect that it’s all vegan now, but I haven’t had the chance to confirm this - so buy with caution. If you’re a distrustful vegan (aren’t we all? ) go for organic instead- just try to get the finest grain you can- your baking results will be better.

• Silk Unsweetened Organic Soy Milk- what type of plant milk doesn’t really matter too much in this recipe, just make sure it’s unsweetened.

  
  

Notes:

Yeast- This recipe calls for Active Dry Yeast, however if Instant or Rapid Rise is your preference, they both work too. If you decide to go the instant or rapid route- first and foremost (always go with the package directions), but here are some things that you will need to adjust.

1. Use one packet (2 1/4 tsp.) of the RapidRise or Instant

2. Make sure the good by date on packed hasn’t expired

3. Wet ingredient temp should be between 120°–130°F

4. Add yeast to dry ingredients, then make a well in your bowl to add the warm liquid to mix

5. After dough is needed, let rest 10-15 minutes instead of a first rise

6. After rested, shape dough balls and let rise 30-60 minutes, depending on the temperature in your kitchen

Salt- Diamond Crystal Kosher is my preference, but if you use Morton or table salt, reduce the amount by half as Diamond is less salty than the two.

Sugar- to make sure it’s vegan, use organic as it does not use bone char (yes, it’s as bad as it sounds) in the processing like conventional sugar.

Oil- Along with milk, oil serves as our egg replacer here. Butter is flavor, but oil helps with moisture and the feel of the dough.

Measuring- Listen… just go ahead and get a scale! They’re cheap and the most accurate for baking. I use them to develop my recipes and do the best I can to convert to the cup measurements out of courtesy to those who don’t have one, but trust me, if you like to bake- it will be the best $20 dollars you spend to improve your recipes. If you still refuse, make sure that you use the scoop and level method to measure out your flour to avoid using more than the recipe calls for.

INGREDIENTS:

Dough

• 420 g (3 + 1/2 C ) bread flour (you can sub with all-purpose flour)

• 38 g (3 T ) + 1 tsp. granulated sugar (divided, organic or vegan-friendly)

• 3 tsp. Active dry yeast

• 12 g (1 T ) potato starch

• 2 tsp. kosher salt (I use Diamond, half the amount if using table salt or Morton)

• 1/4 C + 3/4 C water (divided, warm, 100°–110°F )

• 1/4 tsp. turmeric (optional- for golden color)

• 56 g (1/4 C, 4 T) salted butter (vegan, very room temp)

• 30 g (2 T ) oil (grapeseed, avocado, vegetable, or canola work best)

• 30 g (2 T) milk

Glaze

• 2 tsp. plant milk

• 1/2 tsp. maple syrup

• 1 T black or regular sesame seeds (optional)

• 14g (1 T ) melted butter ( for brushing tops out of oven)

Prep:

• Bring butter to room temp

• Make glaze- add all ingredients (except sesame seeds) into a small bowl and combine

Directions:

Yeast

Although you do not have to proof your yeast, it is best practice and I do recommend that you do, so that you don’t end up having to throw away good ingredients if your yeast is no longer alive.

1. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, sprinkle yeast into 1/4 cup of warm water ( 100°–110°F ) and stir to dissolve

2. Add one teaspoon of sugar and stir

3. Wait 10- 15 minutes- the yeast will foam and puff up if it is still alive

4. Proceed with the recipe

Dough

Directions:

First Rise

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, add proofed yeast, remaining warm water, milk, oil, and sugar and give a quick stir.

2. Next, add in flour, potato starch, turmeric, and salt.

3. With a dough hook (or your hands if not using a mixer) mix ingredients on low until a rough, shaggy dough is produced.

4. Add butter in slowly until it has incorporated into the dough.

5. Turn mixer to medium speed and continue to mix until the bowl is nearly clean of dough on the sides, is shiny, elastic, and doesn’t stick to your hands (about 6-10 minutes)- if mixing by hand, continue to knead until you reach the same result. See the Top Tip below for more.

6. Once dough is done, form into a ball and brush the top and sides with a little oil.

7. Lightly oil the bottom and sides of a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer and place the dough ball inside and cover with a towel or plastic wrap.

8. Let the dough rise and double in size in a warm spot (about 45- 60 minutes) depending on the heat conditions of your kitchen. Alternatively, you can let your dough rise in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours before proceeding with the second rise.

Top Tip

Know when your dough is properly kneaded

The better your dough is needed, the better the result will be for your final baking product!

• Dough has gone from shaggy to shiny

• The sides of your bowl (or your hands) are mostly free from any dough sticking to it/them

• If using a mixer, your dough will often form and tight ball around the hook and “slap” the sides of the bowl

• You can tear a piece of dough from the ball and stretch it so you can see through it without the dough tearing or breaking apart

Directions:

Second Rise

1. Preheat oven to 375° F

2. Once the dough has doubled in size, remove from the bowl and place on a silicon mat or clean countertop.

3. Lightly punch down the dough to remove air bubbles and pockets.

4. With your hands or a rolling pin ( if you prefer ) stretch the dough out into a circle.

5. If you have a scale, you can measure the dough out and then divide by how many buns you want (this recipe produces 8 mini buns, 6 medium- large buns, and 4 xtra large buns , otherwise, use a bench scraper or a knife to cut the dough as desired (see below).

6. Take each piece of cut dough and form into a rough ball - place the dough on your index finger and pull down over your finger, pinching down at bottom, then place on the silicon mat or countertop.

7. Place the palms of your hands at the base of the ball (almost underneath), near the surface and move them front to back, spinning the dough ball around on the surface, forming a tight ball. Press down lightly to create the flat bottom of your bun.

8. This takes practice, so if it’s not perfect (mine aren’t) don’t be discouraged…as long as you can get the dough into a rough shape of a ball, you’re fine. Remember, this the beauty of a handmade product- it doesn’t (nor should it) look like it was made in a factory!

9. Cover the dough with a clean towel and let it rise again- another 30- 60 minutes depending on the temperature of your kitchen- you’re looking for a size increase, but not for the dough to double.

10. Once the dough has risen, you can reshape into tight balls again if it has become a bit mishapen.

11. Brush the tops with the prepared glaze, then sprinkle with sesame seeds if using.

12. Place on a parchment or silicon mat lined baking sheet and put in your preheated oven on the middle rack to bake 15-18 minutes or until firm to the touch and tops are golden.

13. Once out of the oven- brush the hot buns with melted butter, then let cool for 5- 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then place the buns on a cooling rack to cool further.

Storage and Use

1. Cut cooled buns with a serrated knife when ready to use- I like to cut 2/3 of the way down to create the bun.

2. Fresh buns are delicious, but they are also great toasted with butter!

3. Store buns in an air-tight container at room temp for 2-3 days.

4. Cover any remaining buns in foil and place in a freezer proof bag or container if you want to keep after 3 days.

I hope you give these golden buns a try the next time you have a hankering for a burger < 3

Thanks for stopping by-

xx Debbie, Shorty, + Sophie