| Brioche Buns | ||||
| Makes 8 buns | ||||
| Ingredients | ||||
| 1 cup | water |
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| 3 tbls | milk | |||
| 3 tbls | sugar | |||
| 2 pkgs | active dry yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp) | |||
| ________ | ||||
| 3 cups | bread flour | |||
| 1/3 cup | all-purpose flour | |||
| 3 tbls | butter, softened | |||
| 1 tsp | salt | |||
| 1 | egg, beaten | |||
| ________ | ||||
| 1 | egg | |||
| 1 tbls | water | |||
| Some | sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or course salt if you want to decorate the tops | |||
| Directions | ||||
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In a measuring cup, combine the water, milk,
and sugar. Heat in the microwave for 45 seconds. Add the yeast to bloom.
Allow it to get foamy; it will take about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, get the
rest of the stuff going. In a mixer equipped with a beater, add both flours, the butter, and the salt. Mix on low for 1 minute. Switch to the dough hook. Add the yeast mixture and the beaten egg. Mix on medium until a sticky dough forms. This will take about a minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to remove any remnants and mix on medium for another minute. Lift the mixer head, scrape off any dough from the hook, and leave the dough in the mixing bowl. This is very sticky. With a spatula, try to push and form it into a roundish shape in the bowl. Cover the dough bowl with clear plastic wrap, place bowl in a warm place, and let it rise for about 1 hour until doubled in bulk. Preheat the oven to 350̊. Place a cast iron pan on the lower rack to heat up with the oven. You’ll add some water in it later to steam the buns as they bake. Scrape the sticky dough ball onto an unfloured counter. Place the empty mixing bowl on your scale and zero out the scale. Weigh the whole dough ball, then divide the dough into 8 equal pieces weighing each for consistency. I usually get around 32 ounces total resulting in (8) 4 ounce balls.. To shape a ball, gently flatten it with your palm. Gather up the edges and pinch the dough into the middle like a purse. Flip the rough ball over. Cover the dough ball with the palm of you hand with your fingers on the counter. Move your hand in a circular motion to roll and work the dough into a uniform ball. Place the balls into a couple 6-bun pans sprayed with Baker’s Joy and press them down slightly. This pan will give the buns a uniform appearance. If you don’t have bun pans, place the balls on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Once all of you buns are formed, spray the tops lightly with Pam. Place the pan (uncovered) in a warm place and let them rise until doubled in bulk. It’ll take maybe 20 minutes, 30 minutes tops. Make the egg wash and gently brush it on the rolls. You can sprinkle on some sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or course salt if you want that look. I prefer to leave them bare. Add a cup of water to a measuring cup, and add it to the cast iron pan that you were preheating. Put the buns on the upper rack and bake at 350̊ for 15 minutes until the interior temperature is about 180̊. Take the pan out of the oven and let the buns cool in the pan on the stove top for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. |
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