Soft Sourdough Burger Buns
Soft Sourdough Burger Buns
I'm always looking for a new great thing to do with sourdough starter and my husband is a huge fan of a good burger so I was sure that I had to try to make some really good sourdough burger buns. I started working out a formula based on King Arthur Flours' "Beautiful Burger Buns" and came up with some super tasty Soft Sourdough Burger Buns we just love!
These buns are mild in sourdough flavor and topped with sesame seeds and then brushed with cream. They are great for much more than just hamburgers too. My personal favorite alternative is an albacore tuna salad sandwich, yum!
The buns are pretty simple to put together. All of the dry ingredients go into a stand mixing bowl and then I add the lightly beaten egg and the sourdough starter all at once before starting the mixer on low. I slowly add the water or whey until the dough comes together and then l let the mixer continue to knead the bread for me another 6 minutes.
At this point I roll it into a ball and put it in a bowl that has been sprayed with spray oil and turn it around to coat it completely finally covering it with plastic wrap to proof for about 90 minutes in a warm place in my kitchen. For me that warm place is on top of my stove top with the range hood lights on. The lights make it surprisingly warm right there.
After the dough has risen to about double it's original size, I take the dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface. I knead it a few times by folding it back onto itself then turning it halfway around and folding it back on itself again. Repeat this 2 or 3 times, then cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. I have a postage mailing scale that works very well as a kitchen scale so I weigh mine to check them. Without a scale, it's probably easiest to cut them evenly if the dough is shaped into a rectangle and then cut into 8 equal squares.
Now it's time to form the rolls. I form them by squeezing them gently through my thumb and my index finger with one hand while pinching the bottom together with my other hand working to get a smooth and tight surface. I squeeze the ball of dough through the opening in my fingers about 3 times for each one. I'm trying to make them all as uniform as possible because any imperfection in the surface or shape will become more accentuated as the rolls proof before baking.
Place the newly formed buns evenly spaced on a parchment paper lined 1/2 baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to proof once more for about an hour. Start preheating the oven to 375 degrees so that it will be ready when the buns are.
When the Buns are ready and the oven is hot, brush the tops with a little bit of cream or butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Pop them in the hot oven for 30-40 minutes turning the baking sheet halfway through.
Brush them with cream once again when they are done baking. I use a silicon pastry brush and don't have any trouble basting over the seeds on my breads.
Click on these for links to how to make a Perfectly formed burger patty and House Made Potato Chips
Cheers,
~Melisa
Soft Sourdough Burger Buns
makes 8 buns
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour ( I use King Arthur brand)
3 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
2 Tablespoons real butter
1 egg lightly beaten
1 cup sourdough starter (mine is usually freshly fed and the thickness of pancake batter)
1 cup plus a few tablespoons (as needed) lukewarm whey or water
cream for brushing
sesame seeds to sprinkle
Method
Add all of the dry ingredients to a stand mixer including the butter at room temperature and then add the lightly beaten egg and the sourdough starter all at once before starting the mixer fitted with a dough hook on low. Slowly add the water or whey until the dough comes together and then continue to mix for another 6 minutes.
Remove the dough from the mixer and roll it into a ball. Put it in a bowl that has been sprayed with spray oil and turn it around to coat it completely finally covering it with plastic wrap to proof for about 90 minutes in a warm place.
After about 90 minutes the dough should rise to nearly double it's original size. Take the dough out of the bowl and onto a floured surface. Knead it a few times by folding it back onto itself then turning it halfway around and folding it back on itself again. Repeat this 2 or 3 times, then cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. I have a postage mailing scale that works very well as a kitchen scale so I weigh mine to check them. Without a scale, it's probably easiest to cut them evenly if the dough is shaped into a rectangle and then cut into 8 equal squares.
Form the buns by squeezing them gently through an opening between your thumb and index finger with one hand while pinching the bottom together with your other hand working to get a smooth and tight surface. Do this about 3 times for each one. See illustrations above.
Place the newly formed buns evenly spaced on a parchment paper lined 1/2 baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to proof once more for about an hour.
Start preheating the oven to 375 degrees so that it will be ready when the buns are.
When the buns are ready and the oven is hot, brush the tops with a little bit of cream or butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes turning the baking sheet halfway through.
Brush them with cream once again when they are done baking.
