Buns / Bread / Muffins

This recipe was adapted from one posted at Genius Kitchen.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 level tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (100-105º F or 37-40º C)
• 3 TBL sugar
  – PROOF ABOVE MIXTURE FOR 5 MINUTES
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 TBL softened butter
• 1 egg
• 3  cups bread flour – plus more 1 TBL at a time
• 2 tsp xanthan gum (keeps it from drying out)
• 1 teaspoon salt

  If using whole wheat or AP flour, add 1 tsp gluten

STEP BY STEP

1. In a large (preferably glass) mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in water
2. Let proof for 5 minutes – If it does not proof, do not use it.
3. Put into Kitchen Aid
4. Add oil, the egg and 2 C of the flour
5. Stir enough to create a loose dough
6. Add the xanthan gum
7. Add salt and 1 C flour
8. Add more flour 1 TBL at a time until your dough ball is fairly soft.
9. Beat the dough with your Kitchen Aid for 5-10 minutes scraping from sides occasionally
10. Keeping a fairly soft dough, knead for 5 minutes more on a floured surface
11. DO NOT LET RISE
12. Divide into 12 pieces for slider buns, or 8 pieces for 1/4 pounder buns
13. Shape each piece into a ball
14. Coat your hands lightly with olive oil and rub each ball with olive oil
15. Place 3″ apart on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
16. Preheat oven to 425º
17. Let buns rise on stovetop (on top of a cookie cooling rack) for 25 minutes
18. Bake at 425º for 6 minutes
19. Rotate tray
20. Bake another 6 minutes and check to see if they have browned
21. If necessary, bake another 3 minutes
22. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.

This recipe will make eight buns for 1/3-1/2 pound burgers, or twelve buns for smaller burgers and shredded BBQ sandwiches.

A few things that I will be trying with it:

• SOUR DOUGH BREAD:  Substitute in 1 C sour dough starter for  1 C flour at Step 4.  The sour dough will inhibit the formation of mold, and I am hoping this will increase shelf-life.
• ONE LOAF OF BREAD:  Next, I will try making this into a small sandwich loaf. One medium loaf pan and two hamburger buns.  For bread, start with the step after DO NOT LET RISE.  For hamburger buns, continue with above recipe.
  1. 11. Roll in 1/4 C flour until you can get some of the cracks and folds out of the loaf.  Smack it on the table occasionally, trying to force out any air bubbles.
     12. Coat your hands lightly with oil, and wipe them on the outside of the dough ball.
     13. Let dough rise in a greased loaf pan for 45 minutes
     14. Cover with lightly oiled foil
     15. Bake at 400º for 20 minutes
     16. Remove foil, rotate and bake for another 10 minutes
     17. Test internal temperature.  If not yet (TARGET) 190º cover loaf and cook an additional few minutes
     18. Remove and set on rack to cool
• ENGLISH MUFFINS:  Last, I am going to try to make a looser dough and create English Muffins. – with the following modified recipe:
  • Add 2 T non-fat powdered milk at Step 6
  • Replace Steps, beginning with 7,  with these steps
    7. Do not add the last cup of flour.  You want an EXTREMELY wet dough.
    8. Let rise in a GLASS bowl for 45 minutes
    9. Put 1/2 C dough into each WELL-GREASED ring.  No muffin rings?  Use canning jar lids without the cap
    10. Let dough rise for a full hour – more time = more bubbles
    11. Gently lift muffin rings using a spatula, and slide onto preheated HOT skillet and cook for 7 minutes.
    12. Remove ring, flip and cook for 7 more minutes.
    13. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.