Homemade Hamburger Buns - Hokkaido Buns
The Japanese Hokkaido milk bread makes the softest and easiest homemade hamburger buns you will ever have. Slightly sweet and milky, but soft like cotton. Amazing on its own, perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and of course your hamburger sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 60 g Milk
- 60 g Water
- 45 g Bread flour
- 1 batch Tangzhong (prepared above)
- 320 g Warm milk (100°F)
- 7 g Instant yeast (I used 21 grams Fresh bakers yeast)
- 30 g Sugar
- 30 g Milk powder
- 50 g Egg (large)
- 60 g Butter ((4 tbsp)unsalted, room temperature)
- 680 g Bread flour (or 50% bread and 50% all-purpose flour )
- 13 g Kosher salt
- 1 Egg (for egg wash)
- 2 tbsp Water (for egg wash)
- 2 tbsp Sesame seeds (or poppy seeds (optional))
Directions
- 1
In a saucepan, combine water and flour with a whisk until no lumps. Add the milk and combine well again.Pro tip - It is very important to make sure you have no lumps as these will be difficult to remove from the dough.
- 2
Yeast mixture - In a bowl of a stand mixer - add the lukewarm milk (no warmer than 110 F) and the yeast. Combine well with a whisk. Then, add the sugar, milk powder, egg, and cooled tangzhong.
- 3
Punch - When the dough is doubled in volume, transfer it to a well-dusted floured surface. Punch down and reshape into a ball. Then roll it into a small log. Pro tip - At this point, there is no need for additional flour. So use a light dusting of flour.
- 4
Hold each piece of dough in your hand and gather all the seams together. Pinch the seams at the bottom then place the ball on a non-flour surface while still holding it in your hand. Pro tip - The un-floured surface creates the tension we need in the dough.
- 5
Proof - Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for about 45 minutes until almost double in size.Pro tip - Spray the plastic wrap with oil to prevent it from sticking to the rolls.