Recipe research notes for a soft sandwich bun. Adapted from Serious Eats (Cemita rolls) and Food Wishes (hamburger buns). See also Chef John’s hamburger buns.
Dough
| Ingredient | Imperial | Metric | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 12.5 oz | 354 g | |
| Heavy cream | 8 oz | 227 g | Or milk + 50ml softened butter |
| Eggs | 3 | Divided (2 in dough, 1 for wash) | |
| Instant yeast | 1½ tsp | 4.5 g | Slightly increased from original |
| Kosher salt | 2 tsp | 6 g (Diamond Crystal) or 10 g (Morton) | More salt than original |
| Sugar | 3 tbsp | 38 g | A bit more would be good |
Toppings
- The third egg, beaten with water, for egg wash (too much egg wash is a problem, so dilute it well)
- ½ cup sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp coarse sea salt (better mixed into the egg wash than sprinkled on top)
Method
- Combine the flour, cream, 2 eggs, yeast, salt, and sugar, and knead by hand or with a dough hook into a smooth, slightly sticky dough, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover, and rise at room temperature until 1½× original size, about 4 hours. Alternatively: proof overnight in a bucket in the fridge for better flavour and texture.
- Flour dough, transfer to floured work surface. Form into a ball, divide into 6 even pieces with a bench scraper. Form each into a ball, flatten, and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet seam-side down.
- Rest uncovered at room temperature for 1 hour (uncovered gives a better crust than covered in plastic wrap).
- Preheat to 230°C (450°F) with convection. A small ramekin of water in the oven helps develop a thicker crust. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle sesame seeds. Bake until deep golden brown, ~17 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Total active time: ~35 min. Total time with rise: ~4.5 hours (or overnight + 1.5 hours).
Storage: Up to 1 week in the refrigerator in a bag.