Belles Hamburger Buns

By naqgal90

Ingredients

• 6 ounces lukewarm water
• 6 ounces of lukewarm milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 ounces butter, softened
• 2 ounces, sugar
• 4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 Tbsp. gluten (for 1/2 recipe)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 11.5 ounces Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 11.5 ounces Unbleached Bread Flour
• For the topping
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 TBS water
• Your choice of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, the sky is the limit!
• or
• Brush the tops with melted butter after they are done baking.

Details

Adapted from loavesandladles.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

1) To make the dough: Combine all of the dough ingredients, and mix to make a soft dough. Knead dough for about 8 minutes on medium speed of the Kitchen Aid using the dough hook. Dough should pass the window pane test.

2) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for an hour, until it's almost doubled in size.

3) Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, remove all the big air bubbles with your fingertips, and divide it into 16 pieces - about 2.5 ounces each. I like to divide the dough in half, then half again, and half again.. and so on until you have 16 pieces. If you have a scale, take the time to weigh out the balls.. you don't have to be perfect but close enough.

4) For burger buns, roll each piece into a tight ball and using a floured hand, gently flatten them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten them out and place them about 1.5 inches apart. Put 8 buns on a pan - using two pans. For Hot Dog buns, roll each piece out into a log.. about 8 inches long. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.. about 3/4 inch apart.

6) Cover and let rise until the buns have doubled in size, about 40 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375°F.

7) If you want shiny tops or you want sesame seeds or other flavorings on the top of your buns, combine egg and water and lightly brush each bun. Sprinkle topping on immediately. I like to brush a bit of melted butter on the buns after they come out of the oven. This softens the tops nicely.. but it's totally up to you.

8) Bake the buns, one pan at a time for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for about 6 minutes more. Cool on a wire rack.