"Everything" Brioche Burger Buns

"Everything" Brioche Burger Buns

I can't stop thinkin' about that stinkin' burger we made yesterday. It was so good. And one of the biggest reasons why is because it was all stacked on a homemade bun. Not any ole' burger bun y'all, a brioche bun. If you've researched making some buns for your burger at home, then you have obviously come across this recipe. It was featured on blogs, such as Smitten Kitchen and Annie's Eats, and well, countless others. Each of them ranted and raved about these "light brioche burger buns", and when you keep hearing about 'em, well you eventually have to make them! I finally gave in this last week for the Jimmy Buffett concert and it was sooooooo worth it. They are buttery, soft, yet sturdy enough to hold a juicy burger. All are important qualifications, trust me. These buns would be just as good plain, so don't worry about the extra touch I put on them. But, if you're gonna make them, why not go all out?! Instead of just topping them with boring sesame seeds or poppy seeds... I heavily sprinkled the golden buns with an "everything" bagel topping. Who doesn't love "everything" bagels? Well, okay probably all of your friends who have to smell your breath for the rest of the day, but that's why they are your friends, right? Right. Everyone's reassured... good. Between the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper, you have got one seriously-flavored bun. And for a burger purist like me, who likes to only season a patty with just some good salt + fresh pepper, these buns add a lot of flavor while still keepin' everything classic. In other ways, the way it was intended to be. I can't rave about these enough, and you can certainly add me on to the list of bloggers who will be making these for years to come!! Enjoy :)

Amazing "Everything" Burger Topping

Aren't they just so gorgeous?

For the Brioche Buns:

3T Whole Milk, Warmed

1C Water, Warmed

2t Instant Yeast

2 ½T Sugar

1 ½t Salt

1 Large Egg

3C Bread Flour

1/3C AP Flour

2 ½T Unsalted Butter, Softened

For the “Everything” Topping:

1 Large Egg

1T Water

4t Poppy Seeds

4t Sesame Seeds

4t Dried Garlic (minced or flaked)

4t Dried Onion (minced or chopped)

2t Sea Salt

1t Fresh Cracked Pepper

Directions:

1. Making the Dough:In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the milk, water, yeast, sugar, salt and egg.  Mix briefly to combine.  Add the bread and AP flours to the bowl, and mix until incorporated.  Mix in the butter.  Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed for about 6-8 minutes.  The dough will be somewhat tacky, but you want to avoid adding too much extra flour, which will create tough buns. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1-2 hours.

2. Prepping for the Buns:Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat (I prefer Silpats).  Using a dough scraper, divide the dough into 10-12 equal parts. Gently roll each portion of dough into a ball and place on the two baking sheets, 2-3 inches apart (I put 5-6 dough balls on each baking sheet, which ensures that they won’t touch). Cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise again, 1-2 hours, until puffed up and nearly doubled.

3. For the “Everything” Topping:In a bowl, mix together the poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, salt, and pepper until completely incorporated. In another bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Set these both up in a station, along with a pastry brush, for quick assembly. Just a side note, you will not have to use all of the topping, just save the rest for another batch of buns or homemade bagels.

4. Baking the Buns:Set a large metal pan of water on the lowest rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400˚F with a rack in the center. Place one of the baking sheets in the oven and bake the buns for 7 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and then brush them completely with the egg wash and heavily sprinkle the tops with the “everything” seasoning topping. Rotate the pan halfway and return the seasoned buns to the oven and to cook for another 8-10 minutes or until they are perfectly golden brown on top and thoroughly cooked through in the center.

5. Once they are done, remove the buns to a cooling rack to cool completely. After they have cooled, gently slice the buns in half and store them until you are ready to use them.

source: light brioche burger buns.