Ingredients
DOUGH
- 720 g bread flour about 5¾ cups; I recommend using a kitchen scale to measure in grams
- 320 g warm water about 1⅓ cups
- 240 g bubbly active sourdough starter (about 1 cup); see notes for no sourdough option
- 10 g instant yeast about 2 tsp (see notes for 100% sourdough option)
- 2 large eggs
- 100 g granulated sugar about ½ cup or honey, see notes
- 70 g butter softened (about 5 tbsp)
- 16 g fine salt about 1 tbsp
EGG WASH
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp cream
TOPPINGS
- 2 tbsp salted butter melted
- Sesame seeds poppy seeds, or flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)
- 1 to 2 pinches flaky sea salt for the butter wash
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook (optional but recommended)
- full sheet pan
- optional: rolling pin
Method
- Mix. Combine the flour, water, starter, yeast, eggs, sugar, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix on low until the flour is absorbed, then knead on medium-high for 8 minutes until the dough is smooth.
- Add butter. With the mixer still running, add the softened butter a little at a time. Knead for another 8 minutes until the dough is smooth, strong, and shiny and passes the windowpane test. Shape into a ball in the bowl and cover.
- Bulk proof. Let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled, about 2 hours.
- Divide and shape into balls. Gently deflate the dough and divide into 16 equal pieces, about 94 to 95g each. Cup each piece in your hands and gently drag the dough towards you to tighten the outer layer and create a smooth, round dough ball. Let rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Flatten. Work on a clean surface, only adding a sprinkle of flour if needed. Gently flatten each ball with your fingertips or a rolling pin into a thick disc about 3 inches across. The goal is a gentle, even thickness, not paper-thin.
- Final proof. Arrange the buns on parchment-lined sheet pans without the sides touching (they should fit in roughly a 4 by 4 arrangement). Lightly oil the tops of the buns and cover loosely with cling wrap or a damp clean tea towel so the tops don't dry out (the oil is to help it not stick to the cling wrap). Proof until light and puffy, about 1 to 2.5 hours. This is the most important proof, so don't rush it. Underproofed buns will be dense and dry. Toward the end, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Egg wash and bake. Mix the egg and cream and brush over the buns. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or your preferred topping if using. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes until internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C). They should feel light when you pick one up, and the bottoms should sound hollow when tapped.
- Butter wash. The moment they come out of the oven, brush generously with the melted salted butter and sprinkle some flaky sea salt all over the buns. Rest on the pan for 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Honey instead of sugar? You can swap the sugar for the same amount of honey. Since honey adds a little extra moisture, reduce the water by about 15 to 20g to compensate, though in an enriched dough like this the difference is pretty minor.
- Starter or discard? Either works fine here. Since the instant yeast is doing most of the rise work, active starter or discard will both give you a great result.
- Poppy seeds instead of sesame? Absolutely. Or a mix of both. Or just flaky salt. Or nothing at all!
- Make ahead. Shape the buns a little earlier into the bulk proof, then refrigerate overnight on the lined pan (if using cling wrap, lightly oil the tops of the buns so they don't stick). They'll continue to proof in the fridge. In the morning, egg wash and bake straight from the fridge.
- Storage. Wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days, or slice and freeze for up to 2 months.
