Oh These Amazing Buns! Spectacular no?? Oh yes!!!

I have been making my signature Hamburger Buns for a long time.  In fact, I have the recipe published on AllRecipes, called Belles Hamburger Buns.  I've set out for the past couple years improving those buns and I think I've found the right balance.  Thanks to King Arthur Flour for the base recipe, I've made a few adjustments and find that these are just about perfect every time!

A light, gorgeous, feathery soft crumb, but a bun firm enough to hold a hamburger.  The oven spring on these buns is just phenomenal and the smell of them baking is enough to make your heart flutter!  I like to double this recipe and give a half dozen away to a friend of ours with a young family.  The below is the doubled version - oh yes, they do freeze well.   I don't put sesame seeds on a few of them, just in case their kids are a bit fussy - but you could put anything on these you like.  From coarse sea salt to poppy seeds or even some "everything" bagel toppings.  The sky is the limit!

The oven spring is fantastic in these rolls!

Enjoy them! Tonight, I'm making Sloppy Joes and Belgium Frites.... ooooh, so good!

Belles Hamburger Buns - Part Deux
Makes 12 Buns

6 ounces lukewarm water
6 ounces of lukewarm milk
2 large eggs
2 ounces butter, softened
2 ounces, sugar
4 teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
11.5 ounces Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
11.5 ounces Unbleached Bread Flour

For the topping
1 large egg, beaten with 1 TBS water
Your choice of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, the sky is the limit!

Directions

1) To make the dough: Combine all of the dough ingredients, and mix to make a soft dough.  Knead dough for at least 5-8 minutes using the dough hook.  Dough should pass the window pane test.

2) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for an hour, until it's almost doubled in size.

3) Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased surface, flatten it slightly, and divide it into 6 pieces, each weighing about 3 1/2 to 4 ounces.

4) Roll each piece into a tight ball and using a floured hand, gently flatten them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

6) Cover and let rise until the buns have doubled in size. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375°F.

7)  Combine egg and water and lightly brush each bun.  Sprinkle topping on immediately.

8) Bake the buns, one pan at a time for 10 minutes.  Rotate the pan and bake for about 6 minutes more.  Cool on a wire rack.