Brioche Burger Buns

Ingredients

• 500 g strong white flour
• 7 g fast-action dried yeast
• 50 g caster sugar
• 10 g salt
• 3 eggs, plus 1 for glazing
• 180 ml warm milk
• 150 g soft butter, cubed
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds

Method

1. Build the dough first

   Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, 3 eggs and the milk and knead until smooth and elastic — 10 minutes in a mixer. Get the gluten developed before any butter goes near it.

   10 min

2. Butter a cube at a time

   With the mixer running, add the butter one cube at a time, waiting until each disappears. The dough will break into a greasy mess halfway through and then suddenly come back together, glossy and smooth. Adding it all at once means it never does.

   15 min

3. Cold prove overnight

   Cover and refrigerate overnight. Brioche dough at room temperature is a sticky liquid that cannot be shaped — the cold firms the butter and makes it workable, and the long ferment adds flavour.

   12 h

4. Shape cold

   Divide into eight and roll each into a tight ball on an unfloured surface, dragging it under your cupped hand to build tension. Work quickly while the dough is still cold.

5. Second prove

   Prove on a lined tray until visibly puffed and slow to spring back when poked, about 2 hours. Buns proved for too short a time bake into dense rolls.

   2 h

6. Glaze and bake

   Brush twice with beaten egg, scatter sesame seeds, and bake at 180°C for 18 minutes until deep mahogany. Cool completely before slicing or they compress.

   18 min