Homemade Buns

With grilling season upon us, I'll be using this recipe a bit more often. These buns are perfect for enveloping thick, juicy grilled burgers. Nothing fancy -- just a soft, white sandwich bread -- but with texture and flavor you don't find in the store-bought squishy buns.

That homemade buns are better than store-bought is not really such a bold claim. If you're a homemade bread enthusiast however, you may take offense to my methods. I use a bread machine to make the dough for my homemade buns.

I do so unapologetically because it's the reason my family enjoys freshly baked bread with some regularity. The bread machine stirs and kneads the dough and then provides a warm spot for the first rise. After that, I shape the buns by hand, let 'em rise, and bake them in the oven.

Peter Reinhart tackles the issue of machine versus hands-on kneading in his fabulous book,The Bread Baker's Apprentice. He refers to a "philosophical divide" between bread makers who knead their dough by hand and those who use a machine.

"There is a certain romantic, spiritual cachet to the idea of hand kneading, and I wouldn't deny the meditative, spiritual component of the process. Looked at from a strictly utilitarian perspective, however, each method can get the job done." (p.54)

The bread machine is perhaps the most un-glamorous kitchen gadget, but it facilitates a bit of kitchen magic. The home baker just pours in the ingredients and hits the start button. You miss out on those tense moments when the mass of ingredients transform from a messy, mash-up of separate parts into a cohesive whole. But you still get a feel for the dough as you shape the dough for it's final rise.

I use this recipe for hamburger buns, silver-dollar rolls, or hotdog buns. Homemade hamburger buns make a big difference for mundane meals like burgers or sloppy joes or ham sandwiches. The silver-dollar rolls make elegant mini sandwiches for entertaining. Homemade hot dog buns are great for meatball bombers or the obligatory Wisconsin brats. They can even dress up a Chicago style hot dog.



Homemade Buns

(1.0 pound recipe for bread machine)

3/4 cup (6 ounces) milk
2 cups bread flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 egg white plus 1 Tbsp water for egg wash

kosher salt, for topping

Pour milk into pan of bread machine.

Add bread flour, sugar, and salt to the pan. Spread the flour so it covers the entire surface of the milk. Put a piece of butter into each corner of the pan. Make a slight indentation in the center of the flour. Put the yeast in the indentation.

Put the pan into the bread machine and close the cover. Select the "dough" setting and turn the machine on.

When the dough cycle is complete, remove the dough from the pan and punch it down gently. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions for hamburger buns (or 8 equal portions for hot dog buns or 12 equal portions for silver-dollar rolls). Shape each portion into the appropriate shape, creating a smooth surface on the top.

Place the shaped dough onto a cookie sheet or baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Rub the surface of the buns with oil or use spray oil. Cover with plastic wrap and top with a second baking sheet. (The top baking sheet keeps a flat top on the buns as they rise.) Allow to rise until buns are roughly doubled in size (35 to 60 mins). Brush buns with egg wash and sprinkle with kosher salt (or other toppings like sesame or poppy seeds).

Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on rack before slicing.

Nutrition facts for 1 hamburger bun (1% milk): 205 calories, 7 g protein, 3 g fat, 6 mg cholesterol, 452 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Nutrition facts for 1 hotdog bun (1% milk): 153 calories, 5 g protein, 2 g fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 339 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Nutrition fact for 1 silver dollar roll (1% milk): 102 calories, 3 g protein, 1 g fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 225 mg sodium, .5 g fiber

P.S. When my first bread machine gave out a few years ago, I followed the advice of the King Arthur Flour company and bought a Zojirushi. Its loaf pan has a traditional rectangular shape, unlike the buckets of the smaller models. It can handle up to 2 pounds, which means I usually double up on dough recipes and stick half in the freezer. I use it about once a week, most often for pizza dough, hamburger buns, or breadsticks.