The perfect accompaniment to a good hamburger is a good bun: soft and flavorful, with enough body to stand up to condiments. These sourdough buns are fast and easy to make.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup fresh sourdough starter
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. softened butter
- 1/4 cup lukewarm milk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup white flour or bread flour
- Sesame seeds (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Stir together sourdough starter, butter, milk, egg, and salt. Don’t worry if there are still some chunks of butter in the mixture.
- Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing with a spoon until it comes together enough to turn out onto a bread board or clean countertop.
- Knead the dough until it is smooth and satiny, about 10-20 minutes.
- (Optional) Refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours to get a more flavorful bun. Bring it back to room temperature before continuing.
- Let the dough rest at room temperature 15-20 minutes, then roll it out 1/2 inch thick.
- Use a 3- or 4-inch biscuit cutter to cut bun shapes and transfer them to an ungreased baking sheet. Re-roll the dough and cut more shapes until all the dough has been used.
- (Optional) Press a light layer of sesame seeds gently into the buns.
- Cover the buns lightly and let rise until doubled in bulk – between 1 and 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake buns 18-20 minutes.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Cool completely before slicing in half horizontally.
