How to Shape Bun Bread
Few things can give a sandwich or a hamburger the special enhancing touch that a homemade bun can give. Once you've tasted a sandwich on a fresh, homemade bun you won't want to buy it from the bakery again. They are simple enough to make with any bread recipe. The trick comes in shaping them before raising and baking them. You have to get it right the first time, as you shouldn't handle the dough after it rises the second time. The good news is that they don't have to be perfect, just big enough to hold your burger. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Batch of bread dough
- Greased cookie sheet, 12 by 18 inches in size
- Flour
- Cotton dish towel or plastic wrap
Instructions
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1
Divide bread dough that has risen for an hour into 12 to 18 equal sections.
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2
Form each piece of dough into a ball by pulling the sides to the bottom. This is easiest if you do it one side at a time, turning the ball one-quarter turn after you've pulled down a side and then pulling down the next side and pinching the seam at the bottom as you go. Once the ball is smooth give one final pinch to the bottom to secure the shape.
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3
Place each ball on a greased cookie sheet as you complete them. One dozen rolls should be able to fit on a 12 by 18 inch baking sheet.
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4
Press each ball with the palm of your hand to flatten them into disks.
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5
Dust the tops of the buns with flour. Don't go too heavy with it, just enough to lightly coat the surface of the dough.
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6
Cover the buns with a cotton dish towel or a piece of plastic and let them rise again for 30 minutes to an hour, long enough for them to double in size.
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7
Remove the dish towel or plastic from the rolls and place them into an oven preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake them for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are golden brown on the top and the bottom.
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8
Remove the buns from the oven and allow them to cool on a bakers rack before using them for sandwiches or hamburgers.
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Tips & Warnings
It helps to grease your palm with cooking spray or cooking oil before you use it to flatten the balls of dough. This will keep the dough from sticking to your hand. You may need to reapply the oil once or twice during the process.
If your bread dough is too elastic, it may spring back after your initial attempt to flatten the balls into disks. If this happens you will need to press them once or twice more until they hold a shape that is about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and approximately 1/2 inch thick.
An egg wash made up of egg and water can be brushed on the rolls just before baking. This will give the rolls a glossy golden finish. It is the perfect thing to use if you want to sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds onto the rolls before baking as it will keep the seeds fixed to the rolls.
References
Resources
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