Burger buns

Burgers are today’s “new black”. Not just any burger, but well made, at home, and tasty. And everything starts with bread. As always, and these burger buns fit that bill.

Ingredients

75 g semolina
300 ml boiling water
30 g butter or 20 g mild olive or grape seed oil
1 tsp quick-rising yeast
1 tsp light brown sugar
1 tsp sea salt
450 g fine wheat flour
160 ml warm water

30 ml milk for brushing
sprinkling of sesame seeds for topping

Prepare

In a bowl, pour the semolina, add the boiling water, and the butter. Mix so that there are no lumps and let stand for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, pour the sugar, salt, and farina in one half and the yeast in the other. Add the flour and warm water, and knead by hand for about 10 minutes or with a mixer for 5‒7 minutes until the dough is elastic and no longer sticks to your hands, but it shouldn’t be too dry. Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with cling film, and let rise until doubled in bulk.

Line two pans with parchment paper. Make a long sausage with the dough, and cut it into 12 pieces. Form a ball, tucking the dough under and in and then roll between your palms. The rounder the ball, the prettier the bun. But don’t forget to tuck the dough under – it will make forming the perfect ball easier. Place the buns on the pan, loosely cover with cling film and let rise until doubled in bulk.

Heat the oven to 190°. Brush each bun with milk, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and bake for about 25 minutes until they are golden brown. When ready, remove from the oven, cool on the pan for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Recipe: Signe Meriane, from book "Time to cook"
Photo: Armands Meirans