Worry about the bun your burger is nestled in?
By Christopher Blackburn
I never get bored of TV cookery programmes. I could watch them all day, one after another! In spite of my fanaticism, rarely do I copy a recipe exactly as I see it on any of the programmes I consume. What I value more than copying exact recipes, are the techniques and methods for cooking I pick up on and those often require certain equipment. As I watch a cookery programme, my eyes wander around their kitchen space to identify the handy kitchen gadgets they use. One kitchen gadget that pops up in just about every TV kitchen out there, is the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer.
Since Christmas, you can imagine what I’ve been up to. That appliance and I have knocked together a Chocolate Ganache cake, numerous loaves of bread, and even some pistachio macaroons. However, the less said about the macaroons the better, because those suckers are difficult.
Despite my many successes with my KitchenAid assistant, my pride and joy to date is most definitely the Brioche Burger Bun. I am positively obsessed with creating the perfect burger. In fact, that gives me an idea for a future post! But for now, let me point out that more often than not, the success of any burger is more about what accompanies the meat patty. I’m talking about the filling – cheese or no cheese, salad, mayo, bacon – then figuring out what pairs perfectly with what and which ingredients may just get lost in the mash up. One thing is for sure, you needn’t worry about the bun your burger is nestled in, because these little butties from the New York Times are fantastic!
Brioche Burger Buns – Recipe
Serving Size: 4
Ingredients
• 50ml warm milk
• 7g active dry yeast or 15g fresh yeast
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 360g bread flour
• 40g plain flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 25g unsalted butter, softened
• Sesame seeds (optional)
Directions
In a bowl, combine 250ml warm water, milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy (5 minutes).
In a separate bowl beat one egg.
In a separate large bowl, whisk both flours with salt. Add butter and rub into the flour between your fingers, making crumbs. Stir in the yeast mixture and beaten egg until a dough forms.
Scrape dough onto clean, well-floured counter and knead – scooping dough up, slapping it on counter and turning it, until smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes). The dough will be on the sticky side so this process can be a bit messy, but keep in mind that the more flour you knead in, the tougher the buns will be. Try to leave the dough tackier than you would for a round loaf.
Shape dough into a ball and return it to bowl. Cover bowl with cling film and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (1 to 2 hours). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using dough scraper, divide dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each into a ball and arrange two to three inches apart on baking sheet. Cover loosely with a tea towel and leave to rise again in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours.
Set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor. Preheat oven to 200C.
Beat remaining egg with one tablespoon water and use to brush the top of the buns. Sprinkle buns with sesame seeds (optional).
Bake, turning sheet halfway through the baking process, until tops are golden brown (about 15 minutes).
Transfer to a rack and allow to cool completely.
P.S The KitchenAid Artisan Mixer does not come with a gym membership, but you will need one once you start creating all sorts of tempting treats, like these. Must go now! I have a bike ride and swim I need to fit in!!
