Burger Milk Buns
These are pretty much the best hamburger buns going. They're not quite as buttery and rich as a brioche bun but they hold together well with lots of fillings and they squish down well too.
Ingredients
serves 6-8 buns time 3 hours (including proving time)
- bread flour 3 cups
- white sugar 75g
- yeast 2 tsp
- egg 1
- milk 1/2 cup
- softened butter 1/4 cup, cut into cubes
- oil 1-2 tbsp (for the bowl)
- fine salt 1 tsp
- egg yolk 1 mixed with 1 tsp water
- sesame seeds 2 tbsp
Tang Zhong
- bread flour 40g
- water 200ml
Start with the Tang Zhong ingredients.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat whisk the bread flour and the water until it becomes a smooth paste (if you want to get technical, heat it until it reaches 65°C/149°F). Cool until it reaches room temperature. This is the "Tang Zhong" which is a water roux paste. Let it come to room temperature before moving on.
- Place the bread flour in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and add the sugar and yeast. Mix it all together.
- In a separate jug, whisk the egg and milk together. Set the mixer on a low speed and add the milk mixture and the room temperature Tang Zhong paste.
- Knead until it becomes elastic - about 5-6 minutes in the mixer with the dough hook then add the softened butter and then keep kneading for another 2-4 minutes until the dough is stretchy and elastic.
- Shape into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with cling film and set aside for 60 minutes.
- After the dough has proved knock it down and knead in the salt.
- Line a tray with baking paper and divide the dough into six balls making sure that the surfaces of the buns don't have any creases or lines.
- Oil a sheet of baking paper and place on top of the buns and allow to rise for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F.
- Brush with the egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.