No-Knead Cheese Burger Buns

By Foodiewife

This recipe comes from King Arthur Flour. These are one of the easiest bun recipes I've ever made. I used my stand mixer with the dough hook, and later realized that the paddle attachment would work just fine. The dough mixes together in a2 minutes! Once the dough rises, there is no need to knead! Just shape them, give it a final rise, bake and sit back and marvel that you made these. The cheese and onion powder is perfectly balanced. We loved them, and so will you.

Ingredients

• Topping:
• 2 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup Vermont cheese powder or 1/2 cup finely grated sharp cheddar or Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon salt*
• 1 teaspoon onion powder, optional but tasty
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (or Rapid-Rise Yeast)
• 4 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2/3 to 3/4 cup lukewarm water**
• Use 1 teaspoon salt if you use freshly grated cheese
• Use the greater amount of liquid in winter or in drier climates; the lesser amount in summer, or in a humid environment.
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 120mins
Cooking time 140mins
Adapted from foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

1) Combine all of the ingredients, and beat at high speed, using an electric mixer, for 2 minutes. To use your bread machine, put everything in the bucket, and let the dough go through its dough or manual cycle; skip to step 3 below if you're using a bread machine.

2) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or rising bucket, cover it, and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it's noticeably puffy.

3) Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 6 pieces; each will be about 111g, a scant 4 ounces.

4) Shape the dough into balls, and place them in the wells of a lightly greased hamburger bun pan. If you don't have a bun pan, space them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

5) Gently flatten the buns with your hand to fill the bottom of the pan's wells, or until they're about 3 1/2" to 4" wide.

6) Cover the buns, and let them rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until they're noticeably puffy. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

7) Brush each bun with some of the melted butter.

8) Bake the buns for about 20 minutes, until they're a light, golden brown, and their interior temperature is at least 200°F, measured with an instant-read thermometer.

9) Remove the buns from the oven, transfer them to a rack, and brush with the remaining melted butter. Allow the buns to cool completely, then store airtight at room temperature.

TIPS: If you have a digital scale, it's a good idea to weight each piece, lest you have different sized buns. (I speak from personal experience)

Don't skip the onion powder-- it really adds a lot of flavor.
I have the Vermont Cheddar Powder, and love it. Order it online, if you can.
The hamburger pan is something I thought might have been too much of a "whim gadget". I now use it often, and it does help to shape the rolls. Still, you can free form them on a baking sheet.
DEFINITELY, toast the buns before serving with a burger. Otherwise, the juices can turn parts of the bun a bit soggy.