Annie’s Eats

These buns are just plain awesome.  You need to make them today.  Personally the name (and the pictures) is all the convincing I need, but in case you need to be persuaded – they are also easy to make, soft but sturdy enough to hold up against whatever you want to pile on them, and nicely flavored.  The honey wheat taste makes for a delicious sandwich, and we all know how much better homemade bread is than the tasteless stuff you can buy at the store.  The two can’t even be compared!

I made a double batch of these for Andrew’s birthday party and received lots of compliments on them.  I was slightly frustrated because the original recipe did not indicate a quantity, and I ended up falling short and having to buy some store-bought buns as well (but I made sure to indicate a yield below).  I made a few minor changes to the original recipe including a different shaping method, as well as adding some honey to the butter brushed on the tops of the buns as I do with my favorite dinner rolls.  I also sprinkled some sesame seeds on top for looks.  I have a feeling I will be making these a LOT!  

Honey Wheat Sandwich Buns
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Yield: 9-10 sandwich buns

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups milk, warmed
2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
2 cups bread flour, plus 1/4-1/2 cup more for adjusting as needed
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup honey plus 1-2 tbsp., divided
2 tbsp. butter, melted
Sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:
Measure out the milk in a liquid measuring cup.  Add in the instant yeast and stir to dissolve.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the bread flour (2 cups), wheat flour and salt.  Mix briefly on low speed to combine.  Add the yeast-milk mixture, egg, and 1/4 cup of honey to the mixer bowl and mix on low speed just until a dough has formed.  Switch to the dough hook.  Continue kneading on low speed with the dough hook until the dough is smooth and tacky but not sticky, adding extra flour 1-2 tablespoons at a time as needed until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and has the desired consistency.  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2-2 hours.  

Once the dough has risen, transfer the ball to a lightly floured work surface and gently deflate the dough.  Divide the dough into 9-10 equal sized pieces (if using a kitchen scale to achieve uniform size, make 3.25-3.5 oz. pieces).  Form each piece of dough into a flattened round, 3.5-4 inches in diameter.  Transfer the shaped rounds to a parchment- or silpat-lined baking sheet.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour.  

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Combine the melted butter with 1-2 tablespoons of honey and lightly brush the tops of the rolls.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.  Bake for 14-15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until golden brown and baked through.  Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Source: adapted from Good Things Catered