Brioche Buns

These are the most ethereally light yet rich buns I’ve ever had.  The kind of bun that I sometimes just eat plain, like a roll or biscuit, because it’s that flavorful.

Brioche is an incredibly rich, eggy, buttery bread on it’s own, but these rolls are lightened up a bit from a traditional Brioche loaf.  Maybe that isn’t saying much because just about everything is lighter than brioche…in the best way possible.  They’re sturdy enough to hold a burger, eggs, or any other fillings you can think of, but soft enough not to crush everything in their path to your mouth.

(Just in case you were wondering: these make the best vehicles for breakfast sandwiches.  So naturally, we’re going to make a pretty epic breakfast sandwich tomorrow.) Homemade bread is really a lot easier than you might think, especially with a Kitchenaid stand mixer which literally DOES ALL THE WORK FOR YOU!!!!  I used to be so scared of my stand mixer…to the point where it was really just a pretty counter accessory that I never used because it was so heavy and I didn’t know what to do with it and blah blah blah.  Now it gets regular weekly use at my house.

One item worth noting: because of the quantity of butter and eggs, brioche is a wetter dough, so it may look like it needs more flour after the mixing phase.  It’s totally normal and should look like this!  Resist adding more flour until the dough has rested and risen; when forming the dough into buns, you can add a little more flour to help you work with it if needed.

I hope you love these as much as I do and will try your hand at homemade buns soon!

Brioche Buns

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• Author: Amanda
• Yield: 8 rolls

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Description

Light and flavorful homemade brioche buns perfect for burgers and sandwiches of all sorts (perfect for breakfast sandwiches ICYMI!).  Sturdy enough to hold up to fillings, but soft enough not to crush what’s inside on its way to your mouth.

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Ingredients

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• 1 cup lukewarm water (not more than 105°F)
• 3 tablespoons whole milk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons (7 grams) instant yeast
• 2-1/2 tablespoons (31 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups (360 grams) bread flour
• 1/3 cup (40 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons (7 grams) kosher salt
• 2-1/2 tablespoons (35 grams) butter, cut into small cubes and at room temperature
• 1 large egg, thoroughly mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for brushing
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

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Instructions

1. Combine the water, milk, yeast, granulated sugar, egg, bread flour, all-purpose flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.  Stir together on low speed; once the flour is incorporated, raise the speed to medium and mix until a soft, sticky dough forms.  Add the butter cubes, one at a time, until each is incorporated.  Continue kneading the dough for 5 to 7 minutes in the stand mixer until a smooth dough forms.  It will still be slightly sticky; add a little more flour until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until the dough comes together in a ball.  Transfer to a greased bowl, turn once to coat both sides with oil, and cover with a dish towel.  Set aside in a warm place for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, until the dough is puffy and doubled in size.
2. Line two large baking sheets with parchment.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal balls (weighing each one helps!).  To form into balls, begin folding the edges of the dough into the center to form a smooth top.  Cup each dough ball in your hand and use the counter to roll it around to form a smooth ball.  Transfer to the prepared baking sheets with four on each sheet.  Cover and let rise again for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, until puffy.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°.  Fill a small baking dish with 1 cup water and place on the bottom rack of your oven.  Place another rack in the middle.  Brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.  Bake the buns until golden brown, one pan at a time and rotating halfway through baking, for 15 minutes total.  Repeat with the second pan of buns.  Let cool completely before serving.

Notes

Inspiration: Light Brioche Rolls on nytimes.com

• Category: Bread-y Things, Breads