Fluffy Milk Bread Hamburger Buns

Crafting the right hamburger bun is tough. You’re not on the lookout for the utmost softness as a result of the bun will erode beneath a stack of meat, veggies, and condiments. But you don’t need to eat a burger supported by two inflexible crackers, both. As a substitute, you desire a smooth and squishy bun however nonetheless sturdy in all the suitable locations. 

And that’s the problem: Make a bun that’s virtually a paradox. It should mix the perfect of two opposed qualities, outperforming the Platonic perfect of each. It’s like a mosaic of traits that’s nonsensical till you view (or, on this case, eat) it entire.

These milk bread hamburger buns take inspiration from Japanese milk bread (shokupan): They’ve a little bit of sugar, a number of milk, and use the tangzhong method to amplify the softness and shelf life.

Additional, Japanese milk bread makes for unbelievable toast, and these buns act very equally as soon as they’re grilled—the superficial layer uncovered to the grill’s warmth crisps up right into a sturdy, anti-soggy platform for something from hamburgers to sloppy joes to fish sandwiches.

Milk Bread Hamburger Buns versus Tender Potato Buns

I usually declare that my Tender Sourdough Potato Buns are my greatest hamburger buns. And I’ve to say, they’re downright unbelievable. However these milk bread hamburger buns hit somewhat in another way. I labeled them “fluffy” as a result of they’re like little clouds buoying your hamburger to the following stage. The place the potato buns are smooth, substantial, and a bit dense, these are smooth, mild, and plush.

Actually, each buns are pretty and can serve you effectively on the subsequent cookout. However these milk bread buns are just like the lighter cousin to the potato buns.

What’s the Distinction Between a Candy Liquid Levain and a Candy Stiff Levain?

A candy preferment, or a sourdough starter or levain with a small quantity of sugar added, emphasizes yeast exercise (versus bacterial exercise) for much less sourness and extra quantity within the last product.  Each candy liquid and candy stiff levain will produce the specified end result.

Technically, lowering the hydration of the candy levain to make it stiffer can result in an much more mild-tasting end result (lowering bacterial exercise additional). However, I discover mixing the levain very laborious. After testing each candy levain varieties, I’ve discovered {that a} candy liquid model is simply as efficient in emphasizing yeast exercise for max quantity and lowered sourness whereas nonetheless being extremely straightforward to combine with a spatula. 

This recipe for milk bread hamburger buns makes use of a candy levain to cut back sourness within the last bun—however not totally (although, gosh, it’s shut). Any slight perceptible sourness solely brings further taste to the ultimate buns, IMO—although I don’t detect any.

For extra info on the why and the way behind making a candy levain, see the preferment part in my cookbook.

Flour Choice

As with my Japanese milk bread loaf, I take advantage of 100% high-protein white bread flour for these milk bread hamburger buns to realize most quantity and minimal sourness. The flour’s excessive gluten content material helps assist the fats (milk and butter) within the dough. Moreover, as a result of this bread flour is closely sifted (low ash content), the lowered quantity of bran and germ reduces dough acidification throughout fermentation.

I used King Arthur Artisan Bread flour, however any high-protein white flour will work effectively with this recipe.

Baking Schedule

These sourdough milk bread hamburger buns are revamped the course of a single day (except for the in a single day levain). This most well-liked fermentation schedule ensures the mildest taste profile doable. It additionally makes for a handy schedule: Combine the candy levain the night time earlier than, combine the dough within the morning, and have hamburger buns prepared for the night.

In the event you’re trying to cold-proof (retard) these buns so you may bake them early within the day for lunch, that may undoubtedly work (see the FAQ on the finish of this submit). Nonetheless, I desire to comply with the baking schedule as outlined and bake them the day the dough is blended. Then, let the buns cool in a single day and use them the following day (they get even higher with correct cooling).

Milk Bread Hamburger Buns Recipe

For tips about calculating baker’s percentages or modifying this method (like making solely 5 buns as a substitute of 10), see my information to utilizing baker’s percentages.

Vitals

Complete Components

Desired dough temperature: 76°F (24°C) (see my submit on the significance of dough temperature).

Further Substances

1 egg and 1 tablespoon entire milk for the egg wash (optionally available)

Uncooked sesame seeds, for topping (optionally available)

Milk Bread Hamburger Buns Technique

1. Put together the levain – 9:00 p.m. (the night time earlier than mixing)

Combine the elements within the chart above in your favourite jar and go away them coated at a heat temperature, 74-76°F (23-24°C), to ripen for 12 to 14 hours. This can be a candy liquid levain and it’ll develop in quantity considerably. Make sure to use a tall jar so it doesn’t overflow.

2. Put together the tangzhong – 9:00 a.m. (the day of blending)

In a medium saucepan over medium-low warmth, mix the 69 grams high-protein white bread flour and 274 grams entire milk. Cook dinner, whisking constantly, till the combination thickens and turns into a paste (it ought to seem like mashed potatoes), 5 to 7 minutes. Take away the pan from the warmth and unfold the tangzhong on a small plate to expedite cooling. Put aside.

 3. Combine – 9:30 a.m.

*Be aware that it might be troublesome to scrape each little bit of the tangzhong out of the pan, and plus or minus 5g gained’t make an enormous distinction in the long run.

Like Japanese milk bread, these milk bread hamburger buns require intensive kneading to make sure the dough is easy and elastic and for the perfect construction and quantity.

I used my KitchenAid stand mixer to effectively combine and knead the dough. Nonetheless, it’s additionally doable to combine this dough by hand utilizing the slap and fold kneading method or folds in-the-bowl method. Simply you should definitely maintain again the butter till the dough is considerably strengthened, easy, and elastic.

To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the flour, tangzhong, milk, sugar, water, salt, and ripe levain. Combine on low pace (STIR on a KitchenAid) for 1 to 2 minutes till the elements come collectively, no dry bits stay, and the perimeters of the bowl are clear. This isn’t an excessively moist, slack, or sloppy dough, it needs to be cohesive. If the dough may be very dry, conservatively add a splash of water as wanted to moisten. Subsequent, combine on medium pace (2 on a KitchenAid) for 7 minutes till the dough smooths and begins to cling barely to the hook (it’s going to nonetheless be sticky and shaggy; see the picture under).

Let the dough relaxation within the bowl for five minutes.

Return the mixer to medium pace and blend for 3 to 4 minutes till the dough positive aspects extra energy and clings once more to the dough hook. The dough will nonetheless be sticky to the contact and may be connected to the underside of the bowl, however the sides can be clear (see picture under).

Cut back the mixer pace to low pace and add the butter, one pat at a time, ready so as to add every till the earlier is absorbed. Use a spatula to scrape the perimeters of the bowl as wanted. As soon as all of the butter is added, about 4 to six minutes later, the dough can be in a cohesive ball within the mixing bowl with the perimeters largely clear.

At this level, the dough can be very smooth to the contact and a bit sticky. Switch the dough to a bulk fermentation container and canopy.

4. Bulk Fermentation – 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (3 1/2 hours)

At a heat room temperature, 74-76°F (23-24°C), bulk fermentation ought to take about 3 ½ hours with no units of stretches and folds (the dough is sufficiently strengthened throughout mixing).

Let the dough relaxation, coated, in the course of bulk fermentation.

5. Divide and Form – 1:30 p.m.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Flippantly flour your work floor, and utilizing a bowl scraper, gently scoop the dough out to the floured space. Flippantly flour the highest of the dough and divide it into 10 (135-gram) parts. You might need a small little bit of scrap dough left over.

Utilizing floured palms and a bench scraper, form the parts into tight balls. I like to make use of the bench scraper at a excessive angle to the work floor to assist form the dough. A excessive angle tightens the dough extra assertively.

6. Proof – 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Cowl the baking sheets with reusable plastic or these life-changing snap-on baking sheet covers (see picture above) and let the dough proof for two ½ hours.

7. Bake – 4:30 p.m. (preheat oven at 4:00 p.m.)

After 2 ½ hours the dough items ought to have hyped up, and really feel very mild and ethereal when poked.

In the event you’re used to utilizing the poke take a look at to find out when your bread dough is prepared for baking, this dough will really feel completely different. It’ll really feel extra like poking a marshmallow or balloon that’s not totally inflated. If the dough feels dense or tight, give it one other quarter-hour to proof, then verify once more.

Beneath, you may see how jiggly the dough is and the feel once I poke it to find out how effectively proofed it’s.

half-hour earlier than you need to bake, preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C), with racks within the higher and decrease third.

If making the egg wash, whisk collectively 1 entire egg and 1 tablespoon of entire milk in a small bowl till no lumps stay and the combination is frothy.

Uncover the baking sheets and, utilizing a pastry brush, brush on a good, skinny layer of the egg wash. Liberally sprinkle on sesame seeds if utilizing.

Place the baking sheets within the oven and bake for quarter-hour. Rotate the pans again to entrance and high to backside, then cut back the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Bake for five to 10 minutes till well-colored.

Take away the baking sheets to a heat-safe floor and funky for five minutes. Then, switch the buns to a cooling rack and allow them to cool fully earlier than slicing, about half-hour.

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Milk Bread Hamburger Buns FAQs

What’s Subsequent?

Because you’re possible making these milk bread hamburger buns throughout the summer time, why not make a simple sourdough starter discard pie or galette to accommodate all that wonderful summer time produce and full your cookout?

Buon appetito!