Brioche Buns

 There is something about making your own bread that makes just makes you want to eat it all with no slice left to survive the tale.

The smell of yeast while it sits bubbling. The aroma of warm, fresh, fluffy carbs just waiting to get your hands on it after it cools ever so slightly to handle.  It’s truly a wonder I don’t make it as often.

But as burger season commences (but really, when isn’t it burger season), I knew it would be a good opportunity to make some delicious burger buns.

Of course, I’m like most people and don’t have a brioche recipe just laying around for a sunny day. So, as one does, I did some research and fell on a recipe from the New York Times.   The buns looked exactly like the ones I crave while watching the food network. Fluffy, golden, balls of doughy goodness.  After I made them, I knew I had to share!

The one thing I can’t stand about making homemade buns, is the fact that they go stale almost immediately.  That’s why I usually hold off making buns unless it’s a holiday like Thanksgiving, Easter or Christmas. What’s the point of making 8, 10, 12 buns if you can’t have them for leftovers for sandwiches or beef dip?  But! These buns actually last.  They remained fluffy like the day there were made, which makes me love this recipe even more.

If you want some delicious buns, check out the recipe below. I basically used the exact recipe the New York Times has with the exception of the water in the oven. They seemed completely fine without it

Directions

In a small to medium sized bowl combine one cup warm water, warm milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy (between 5-10 minutes). In the mean time, beat one egg in a small glass and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine bread flour, all purpose flour and salt. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and rub into the flour using your fingers or a making crumbs.  Stir in the yeast mixture with the beaten egg and mix until it forms a ball.   Place tacky dough on a floured surface and kneed  until smooth and elastic (approximately 10 minutes). Shape dough into a ball and return it to bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size (about 1 – 2 hours).

Note: Dough should remain slightly tacky, as the more flour you add, the tougher they will be when baked.

Take a large baking sheet and line with parchment paper.  Divide dough into 8 pieces.  Roll each piece  into a ball  and place on baking sheet.

Give enough room as the balls will rise  and take up quite a bit of space. If needed, use two baking sheets to make sure there is sufficient room. Cover balls with plastic wrap lightly coated in nonstick spray and allow the dough balls to rise again for about 1-2 hours.

Note: Gauge when they are ready by the size they increase after the second rise.  The rise should be the size of bun you wish to have. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F with a rack in the middle of the oven.

Take the last egg, beat in a cup with 1 tablespoon water and brush on top of buns.  At this point, you can sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake, buns until tops are golden brown (about 15 minutes).  Allow to cool unless you want to eat one beforehand with melted butter YUM!

These buns can be frozen, for up to 2 to 3 months BONUS!

Enjoy! xo