Fluffy Buns — ALANA SMITH

Burger night in my household usually includes these fluffy buns (fish burgers with homemade tartare sauce and pickled red onions are our favourite). I make the dough around midmorning ready to be baked just before supper. On cold days, these are delicious with salted butter and hot soup.

You might think the first step to making the dough is absolutely bonkers but making a ‘yudane’ bread improver is really worth it (and it is not much extra work or dishes) - it helps achieve a soft, fluffy texture and makes the baked bread keep fresher for longer.

Enough for a baker’s dozen (12 medium size buns + 1 smaller one)

BREAD IMPROVER

high grade/bread flour, 50g (80ml or 1/3 cup)

boiling water, 60g (60ml or 1/4 cup)

MAIN DOUGH INGREDIENTS

unsalted butter, 50g

milk (whole/full fat), 250g (250ml or 1 cup)

instant dry yeast, 8g (10ml or 2 teaspoons)

egg, 1

high grade/bread flour, 450g (750ml or 3 cups)

caster sugar, 50g (60ml or 1/4 cup)

fine salt, 5ml (1 teaspoon)

EGG WASH

egg, 1

TOPPING

Sesame seeds (optional)

Start by making the bread improver by placing the first measurement of flour (50g or 1/3 cup) in a medium heatproof bowl then add the boiling water - stir using a spoon to combine (it will be a stiff dough mixture). Set aside until needed.

For the main dough, place the butter (roughly chopped, to make it melt faster) and milk in a medium heatproof bowl (or saucepan) and heat in the microwave (or on the stove) until the butter has melted and the mixture feels warm. You want this mixture warm but not hot (or it will kill the yeast - if it feels really hot, leave it for a bit to cool to a warm temperature - around 30 - 40°C if you have a thermometer).

Place the yeast in a large mixing bowl (I use a free-standing mixer for ease, but it is not essential if you don’t mind getting your hands dirty and have strong arms for kneading - the dough will be very sticky at first).

Add the lukewarm butter and milk mixture followed by the egg then stir a little with a spoon or whisk.

Add the bread improver.

Add the flour, caster sugar and salt on top.

Mix together using a free-standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook (on a slow speed, setting 2 using a KitchenAid mixer) or by hand for about 10 - 15 minutes until the mixture comes together in a sticky dough.

Do not be tempted to add extra flour even if the dough feels really sticky at first (otherwise the bread will be dry once baked).

Once the dough feels elastic (and a bit less sticky), remove the dough hook and leave to prove covered by a tea towel (or place it back into a large bowl if making it by hand - a dough scraper is really useful).

You can check whether the dough is elastic enough by doing the ‘windowpane test’ by taking a small portion of dough and stretch it into a square with your fingers. The dough should stick together and appear almost transparent, like a window. If the dough breaks very quickly, the gluten strands are too weak and more kneading is needed.

Leave the dough to prove at room temperature (or in a warmish spot) until double in size (it takes about 2-3 hours depending on the weather).

I make the dough around 8am in the morning for the bread to be ready for lunch. For fresh bread at dinner, you can make the dough midday.

In spring and summer, I leave the dough on my kitchen bench wrapped in a blanket (in my grandmother’s bread blanket, but a large tea towel works well too). When it is cold in autumn and winter, I look for a sunny spot in the house or I place the bowl containing the dough in the oven that has been slightly warmed then turned off.

Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it into about 12 buns (depending on how big you prefer your buns). I weigh out 12 dough pieces of 75g each and have one smaller one (about 50g) left to make a baker’s dozen.

Shape each dough piece into a ball:

With floured hands, pinch the sides up to make a money bag shape. Flip over and pinch the bottom with your hands to create surface tension or cup your hand over it and move it in a circular motion.

Place the dough balls on a medium-size baking tray lined with baking paper.

Leave the dough buns in a warmish spot to prove for about 30minutes.

When the dough has proved (the dough should look puffed up, almost the size you envisioned it once baked), preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).

For the egg wash, whisk the egg in a small bowl using a fork then brush the top of the dough balls with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like.