The Best Homemade Buns

I found this great recipe at  suite101 ..... Enjoy!!


Buns with Soft Crust and Light Texture

(printable version)

To achieve a soft crust and light texture for these sandwich rolls, keep the dough a bit tacky (sticky) as it's kneaded. It's easiest to use an electric mixer with a dough hook, but go ahead and knead by hand if preferred. Vary the recipe by replacing one to one-and-a-half cups of white flour with wheat, semolina or other favorite flour.

The buns freeze well. Some of you might prefer to double the recipe and freeze the hamburger rolls in a plastic ziploc bag until needed.

Yields 12 large hamburger buns or soft sandwich rolls.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes, divided

Rising Time: 2 to 3 hours, divided

Baking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients for the Dough:

• 4 1/2 cups all purpose or bread flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 5 tablespoons butter, soft or melted
• 1 tablespoon yeast (dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water)
• 1 1/4 cup warm milk

Additional Ingredients:

• flour for kneading
• vegetable oil, for greasing the bowl and baking pan
• egg wash made from one egg and one tablespoon milk (optional)
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnishing the sandwich rolls (optional)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted butter, for brushing on the hamburger buns

To Make the Dough

1. Blend the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the butter, yeast mixture and milk, and mix by hand to form a dough. Knead five minutes with an electric mixer with dough hook, or turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for seven to nine minutes by hand.
2. As the dough kneads, add small amounts of additional flour or warm water as necessary to achieve a dough that is light and slightly sticky .
3. When the dough has been kneaded until smooth, transfer it to a greased bowl and turn over the dough once to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with a towel, and leave the hamburger roll dough to rise until doubled in bulk, about an hour.

Shape and Bake the Hamburger Buns

1. Turn the dough out of the bowl and divide it into 12 portions. Shape each portion into a smooth ball and place the dough on a greased baking sheet. Lightly pat the tops of the balls of dough to flatten them slightly.
2. Cover the tray with a towel, and leave the dough to rise again for another hour.
3. Preheat an oven to 400° F . If garnishing the hamburger buns with sesame seeds, brush the rolls with the egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Bake the hamburger rolls until rich golden brown, about 20 minutes. Immediately upon removing the rolls from the oven, brush their tops lightly with melted butter or vegetable oil.
4. Transfer the sandwich rolls to a rack and cover them loosely with a towel to trap steam and keep the crust soft as they cool. Store thoroughly cooled rolls in a plastic container or plastic ziploc bag. Freeze any rolls which won't be used within a day.