It’s finally summer time which means it’s time to start eating outside and having barbecues! Even in Scotland we are sometimes lucky enough to be able to do that – and buying a disposable BBQ and making burgers at the beach is so much fun! I love a good burger, and there’s nothing better than having homemade soft burger buns to put them in! Homemade burger buns are infinitely better than shop-bought, plus they are very quick and easy to make!
How do you make Soft Burger Buns?
These soft burger buns are made with an enriched dough. This means that instead of just using the classic ingredients to make a bread dough, flour, salt, yeast and water, you add other ingredients to “enrich” it. This involves adding sugar and fats to the dough, for example, by adding in a little butter and replacing some of the water with milk. I also use one large egg in the recipe and for a little sweetness and caramelisation, add a tablespoon of honey to the dough. However, to keep things slightly healthier, I only use a small amount of butter, semi-skimmed milk and a natural sweetener rather than caster sugar.
The dough is proved for about an hour before shaping, and then left for another half hour before baking. So it really takes no time at all and you can go off to do other things in between! Finally, I brush the soft burger buns with a little egg white and sprinkle over some sesame seeds, but that is an optional addition 😊.
More Summer BBQ Recipes
I just love a Summer BBQ, and especially all the salads and bread that go with it! I have lots of great recipes for breads, dips and salads on my blog, so make sure to check out some of my favourites below!
- Lamb Kebabs
- Couscous Salad
- Homemade Soft Burger Buns (with Sesame Seeds)
- Tomato and Mozzarella Focaccia
- Homemade Falafel
- Ultimate Guacamole Recipe
- Italian Rosemary Focaccia
- Focaccia with Olives, Garlic and Rosemary | Bake Off Box #9
- Kidney Bean and Sweetcorn Salad
- Delicious Homemade Hummus
- Homemade Tzatziki Dip
- Paul Hollywood’s Ciabatta Bread Sticks | Bake Off Technical Challenge
- Colourful Quinoa Salad
- Homemade Pitta Bread with Nigella Seeds
- Grape and Feta Cheese Focaccia
- Small(er) Pesto Star Bread
Homemade Soft Burger Buns
Recipe
Ingredients (makes 10):
FOR THE DOUGH
- 500g strong bread flour
- 9g dried fast-action yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 40g butter
- 200ml milk
- 1 tbsp honey
- 80-120ml lukewarm water
- 1 large egg
TO FINISH AND GLAZE
- 1 medium egg, white only
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
Method:
- In a small saucepan, gently warm the butter, milk and honey until the butter has melted and all the liquids come together as one. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a free-standing mixer), weigh out the flour and add the yeast and salt to opposite sides of the bowl. Mix the yeast into the flour on one side first, then mix in the salt on the other side before mixing all the dry ingredients. This is just to ensure that the yeast and salt don’t come into immediate contact, as salt will kill yeast.
- Next, create a well in the middle of the flour and add the egg, alongside the milk mixture and around half of the water. Start kneading with the dough hook of a stand or hand-held mixer. Gradually add enough water to make a smooth dough, and knead for 5-10 minutes until soft and stretchy. The dough will be slightly sticky.
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a tight ball. Lightly flour the mixing bowl (no need to wash it) and return the dough to the bowl, seam-side facing down. Leave the dough to prove in a warm place for around an hour, or until doubled in size.
- While the dough is rising, prepare two large baking trays by lining them with a sheet of baking paper.
- On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (around 90g each, you can weigh them for accuracy if you like). Then shape each piece of dough into a ball by tucking in the sides and placing onto your worksurface seam-side down. Carefully cup your hand around the ball of dough and make circular motions to shape into a nice ball.
- Place the bun onto the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
- Leave the burger buns to prove for a further 20-30 minutes until plumped up a bit.
- Near the end of the proofing time, preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan.
- Whisk the egg white in a small bowl with one tablespoon of water until combined. Then use a silicone pastry brush to carefully brush the tops and sides of the bun with the egg white. Then sprinkle the sesame seeds on top if you wish to use them.
- Bake the burger buns in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until they are lightly golden in colour. Cool them on a wire rack before enjoying them with a nice burger! Any leftover buns can be frozen and used another time 😊!
