The high summer temperatures have only slightly dampened my desire to bake, and I still have the urge to work on my bread skills. What better time to try something new than for a get-together with friends? I wanted our most recent cookout to be simple but done well. Plus, after the added sugar challenge, I wanted to make delicious food where I knew all the ingredients.
Insert Google search for a hamburger bun recipe. The first hit that popped up was my trusted go-to baking site: King Arthur Flour. After reading the whole recipe (yes, this is very important), I got to work. What I liked about these buns were that I could make them in an afternoon – no overnight rise or starter needed. I brushed the tops of ours with butter before baking but will use an egg wash next time to get a little deeper of a golden brown and for the sesame seeds to stick better*.
Beautiful Burger Buns
A King Arthur Flour Recipe
Buns
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large egg
- 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
Topping
- egg wash (1 egg, whisked with a bit of water)
- sesame seeds
Directions
1) Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients (I did this by hand but you can choose to use a mixer or bread machine) to make a soft, smooth dough.
2) Cover the dough, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until it’s nearly doubled in bulk.
3) Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 12 pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball; flatten to about 3″ across. Place the buns on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise for about an hour, until noticeably puffy.
4) Brush the buns with about half of the melted butter or egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
5) Bake the buns in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden. Remove them from the oven, and brush with the remaining melted butter, if using. This will give the buns a satiny, buttery crust.
6) Cool the buns on a rack.
Yield: 12 buns
