Light Brioche Burger Buns

Although I've started working full time this week, this first week I've only been scheduled to work 9 to 3. Next week is when the real full time hours start! We were thinking about having burgers for dinner on Wednesday evening and since I got off at 3, I decided to make our own burger buns!

And I must say, I am really proud of my little burger buns. They looked and tasted amazing, more like something you would get at a gourmet burger place and not like what you would buy in the grocery store. Our burgers were a mix of a BLT and a caprese salad. We made a basil mayo (by combining bashed basil with some store bought mayo), and packed the burgers with sliced tomatoes, avocados, bacon, lettuce and fresh mozzarella. Amazing! What's your favorite burger combo? What about making your own buns? It is so totally worth it. I used my Kitchenaid for this recipe, but you can also do it by hand. I have only written the instructions for how to make these buns with a stand mixer but do check out Smitten Kitchen's post!

Light Brioche Burger Buns (barely adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
Makes 6 to 8 burger buns, depending on how large you shape them. I got 6.

1 cup lukewarm water
3 tbsp slightly warmed milk
2 tsp active dry yeast or 17 g fresh yeast (I used fresh)
2 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups bread flour (or one with a higher protein content)
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tbsp or 35 g butter, softened
sesame seeds (optional)

In a bowl, stir together the water, milk, fresh yeast and sugar until everything is combined. If using dry yeast, simply let the mixture stand for 5 minutes until foamy. Meanwhile, beat one egg.

In the bowl for your stand mixer, stir together the flours and the salt. Add butter and rub into flour with your fingers, making crumbs. Place bowl in the stand mixer and pour in the yeast mixture and the beaten egg. Turn the mixer on to low and mix until a dough forms. With the stand mixer, continue to knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be quite sticky but don't be tempted to add anymore flour.

After 8 to 10 minutes of kneading, shape the dough in a round ball, and return the dough to the mixing bowl. Cover bowl with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours. My dough needed an hour and a half.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take the dough out of the bowl and divide it into 6 to 8 equal portions. Feel free to weigh each portion if you want equal sized buns. Gently roll the dough into round balls and place on the parchment sheet, leaving a few inches between each ball. Cover loosely with a towel or plastic wrap again and let it rise for another 1 to 2 hours.

Set a shallow pan of water at the bottom of your oven. Preheat oven to 400F or 200C. Beat remaining egg and brush on top of each bun. Sprinkle the tops of the buns with sesame seeds, if using. Bake, turning the baking sheet halfway through baking, until the tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Enjoy your homemade burger buns!