Brioche Hamburger Buns

from King Arthur Baking

Makes 8 buns

Ingredients

Buns

• 3 1/2 cups (420g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3/4 to 1 cup (170g to 227g) water, lukewarm*
• 2 tablespoons (28g) butter, at room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon (9g) instant yeast

*For best results, use the smaller amount of water in summer (or in a humid environment), the greater amount in winter (or in a dry climate); and something in between the rest of the time.

Toppings

• Sesame seeds (optional)
• If using sesame seeds: 1 large egg white, whisked with 2 tablespoons cold water*
• 3 tablespoons (43g) butter, melted

*For added richness and color, add the yolk left over from separating the egg to the dough above.

Method

1. Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a soft, smooth dough.
2. Cover the dough and let it rise until it's nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours.
3. Gently deflate the dough and divide it into eight pieces (about 100g each). Shape each piece into a ball.
4. Flatten each dough ball with the palm of your hand until it's about 7.5 cm across.
5. Place the buns on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise until noticeably puffy, about an hour. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 190°C.
6. Brush the buns with about half of the melted butter. To make seeded buns, brush the egg white/water mixture right over the melted butter; it'll make the seeds adhere. Sprinkle buns with the seeds of your choice.
7. Bake the buns for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden. Remove them from the oven and brush with the remaining melted butter. If you've made seeded buns apply the melted butter carefully, to avoid brushing the seeds off the buns.
8. Cool the buns on a rack before slicing in half, horizontally.