Burger Buns
Soft, slightly sweet burger buns enriched with milk and butter, shaped and proofed under a damp cloth to keep the surface from drying into a skin, which is what lets them rise smooth rather than cracking as they expand. Brushing with egg wash right before baking, not after shaping, is what gives them their glossy, evenly golden crust.
Prep30 min
Cook20 min
Rest130 min
Servings4
Christoph's burger buns, proofed under a damp cloth so the surface rises smooth instead of cracking.
Ingredients
Units
Temperature
Servings
Dough
- 500 g flour rounded
- 7 g instant yeast rounded
- 40 g sugar rounded
- 8 g fine salt rounded
- 250 ml milk, lukewarm rounded
- 1 egg rounded
- 50 g butter, softened rounded
- 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash rounded
- 20 g sesame seeds (optional) rounded
Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.
Method
- Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm milk and egg and mix to a rough dough.
- Knead in the softened butter for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise for 60 minutes, until doubled.
- Divide into 8 equal pieces and shape each into a smooth, tight ball. Arrange on a baking sheet, spaced apart, and flatten slightly.
- Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 45 minutes, until visibly puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (fan). Brush the buns with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds if using.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until deeply golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped. Let cool on a rack before slicing.
Notes
- Proof under a damp cloth, not a dry one. A dry cloth or plastic wrap that touches the dough can pull at the surface as it’s removed and dries out the top, which cracks as the dough expands; a damp cloth keeps the surface soft and pliable.
- Egg wash right before baking, not right after shaping. Applied too early, it dries out and doesn’t give the same even, glossy finish once baked.
- Space the buns apart on the sheet. They spread as they bake; buns placed too close fuse together at the sides instead of baking into distinct rounds.
- They freeze well once fully cooled; slice before freezing for easy toasting straight from frozen.
Ingredient substitutions
- Milk can be a plant milk for a dairy-reduced version, though the crumb will be slightly less rich.
- Sesame seeds can be poppy seeds or omitted entirely.
- A little honey in place of some of the sugar gives a slightly different, rounder sweetness.
From Christoph Mayer