Recipe Wrap-up

Makes 12 hamburger buns or 18 dinner rolls

Ingredients:

• 3 cups unbleached bread flour, divided
• 1 cup unbleached white whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 3 Tbsp raw sugar
• 2 tsp ActiveDry yeast
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk, buttermilk or whey (or any combination), at room temperature

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl (not the bowl you’ll use to mix the dough), mix together the whole wheat flour, 2 cups of unbleached flour, salt and sugar and yeast.  We’ll add in the last cup of unbleached flour later, but I prefer to hold back so I can be sure the dough is not too dry.  It’s much easier to add more flour than more liquids once the dough becomes established.
2. In your mixing bowl, beat the egg lightly and the butter and milk.
3. Add in the flour mixture a 1/2 cup at a time,  mixing in the flour with the liquid thoroughly.  Continue adding the last cup of flour in small increments, stopping when the dough begins to form a ball, pulling away from the sides of the bowl.  This step can be done with a mixer using the paddle attachment, or by hand with a large spoon.
4. Transfer the dough to a floured countertop and knead the dough, adding more flour as necessary, until it becomes soft , smooth and tacky.  Continue kneading for an additional 6-8 minutes or as long as necessary for the dough to pass the “windowpane” test.  (You should be able to pull off a bit of dough and stretch it very thin so you can “see through” the dough if held up to the light.  If it breaks right away, keep kneading.)
5. Coat a large bowl with olive oil.  Roll the dough in the bowl so it is well-coated with the oil.  Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled in size (timing will depend on the room temperature).
6. Remove the dough, degassing it only slightly and divide into portions (12-14 for buns and 18-20 for rolls).
7. Roll each portion into a tight ball, as discussed above, and place on an oiled baking stone.  For buns, place the balls 1 1/2 inches apart and for rolls bunch them together tightly.  Mist the tops with olive oil (Mr. Misto is great for this!) and cover with a damp towel.  Allow to rest for 20 minutes.
8. For burger buns, press lightly on each roll to create the “bun” shape.  You may want to mist the tops with oil again, then cover with the damp towel and allow to proof for 60 to 90 minutes, or until almost doubled in size.
9. Preheat the oven to 400°F.  If using the egg wash, beat an egg lightly with a few tablespoons of water and brush over the rolls.  Sprinkle on the poppy or sesame seeds.
10. Bake for 15 minutes or until they become golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.