Pillowy Buttermilk Buns
This sweet, yeasted buttermilk dough works very well when shaped into small buns or popped into muffin tins. The result is a versatile, soft, light bread that goes well with soups, stews, or fills an in-between meal gap. They hold their moisture well, so keep a bag on hand in the freezer for whenever you need them. Choose any options for the top of the buns- baste them with butter to make them even softer or shine them up with a beaten egg and sprinkle on some coarse salt. If you prefer a loaf of bread, see the baking instructions below. This recipe is tweaked from Taste, with the addition of more salt.
More bread recipes: Challah, No-Knead Artisan French Bread, No-Knead Artisan Rye or Whole Wheat, No-Knead Irish Brown Bread (with Stout), Crusty Baguettes, Soft Baguettes, New York Style Bagels, Whole Wheat Cinnamon Buns, Classic Sticky Cinnamon Buns, Foccaccia, Classic White Bread, Flax and Honey Bread, Portuguese Cornmeal Bread, Olive Bread, One-Rise Buttermilk Bread, Chocolate Babka, Pumpernickel Bread, Italian Bread (Pani di Terni)
Time: 3 1/2 hours, mostly unattended
Yield: 30 small buns
Ingredients
1 packet or 2 tablespoons active dry yeast or 1/10 lb. cake yeast
1 teaspoon (5 grams) sugar
1/4 cup (80 ml) warm water
5 cups (600 g. all purpose flour, plus 1/2 to 3/4 cups for kneading, as required)
2 teaspoons or 10 grams kosher salt
3 tablespoons or 45 grams unsalted butter
2 cups (500 ml) buttermilk, warmed
1/3 cup (85 ml) honey, maple syrup or cane syrup
1 egg, lightly whisked (optional)
Flaky or coarse salt (optional)
Melted butter (optional)
Method
Mix the yeast and sugar with warm water and let it proof for about 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 600 grams (5 cups) of the flour and the kosher salt.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the buttermilk and stir gently until it is warmed through. Remove from heat and stir in the yeast mixture and the honey or maple syrup.
Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour. Using a spoon or your hands, stir to form a shaggy dough. It will be very sticky.
Once it is cohesive, scrape it out onto a work surface dusted with flour and knead in 1/4 cup (30 grams) of flour at a time. Continue kneading until it becomes smooth, elastic, and bounces back when poked. (Note: You may not need to use all the flour.)
Form into a ball and transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover it with a damp towel and let it rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
To test if the dough is risen, poke it with a finger. The dough should be slow to return to normal.
Gently punch the dough down, gather and shape into balls, if you are making dinner rolls or burger buns or a loaf, and place into the appropriate buttered or oiled pan. For small rolls, nestle the balls closely together. For hamburger buns, leave about 1 inch of space in between.
Cover with the towel and let the dough rise until it has doubled in volume, about an hour. Toward the end of the rising time, place a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat it to 375°F.
When the second rise is complete, brush the top with the egg and sprinkle with flaky salt OR brush the top with melted butter..
Bake in the middle of the oven for about 30–45 minutes, until golden brown. If the outside buns are baking too quickly, cover them with foil. The buns will be done when a tap on the bottom produces a hollow sounding. .
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out onto the rack to cool further. Allow the loaf to fully cool before slicing.
This sweet, yeasted buttermilk dough works very well when shaped into small buns or popped into muffin tins. The result is a versatile, soft, light bread that goes well with soups, stews, or fills an in-between meal gap. They hold their moisture well, so keep a bag on hand in the freezer for whenever you need them. Choose any options for the top of the buns- baste them with butter to make them even softer or shine them up with a beaten egg and sprinkle on some coarse salt. If you prefer a loaf of bread, see the baking instructions below. This recipe is tweaked from Taste, with the addition of more salt.
More bread recipes: Challah, No-Knead Artisan French Bread, No-Knead Artisan Rye or Whole Wheat, No-Knead Irish Brown Bread (with Stout), Crusty Baguettes, Soft Baguettes, New York Style Bagels, Whole Wheat Cinnamon Buns, Classic Sticky Cinnamon Buns, Foccaccia, Classic White Bread, Flax and Honey Bread, Portuguese Cornmeal Bread, Olive Bread, One-Rise Buttermilk Bread, Chocolate Babka, Pumpernickel Bread, Italian Bread (Pani di Terni)
Time: 3 1/2 hours, mostly unattended
Yield: 30 small buns
Ingredients
1 packet or 2 tablespoons active dry yeast or 1/10 lb. cake yeast
1 teaspoon (5 grams) sugar
1/4 cup (80 ml) warm water
5 cups (600 g. all purpose flour, plus 1/2 to 3/4 cups for kneading, as required)
2 teaspoons or 10 grams kosher salt
3 tablespoons or 45 grams unsalted butter
2 cups (500 ml) buttermilk, warmed
1/3 cup (85 ml) honey, maple syrup or cane syrup
1 egg, lightly whisked (optional)
Flaky or coarse salt (optional)
Melted butter (optional)
Method
Mix the yeast and sugar with warm water and let it proof for about 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 600 grams (5 cups) of the flour and the kosher salt.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the buttermilk and stir gently until it is warmed through. Remove from heat and stir in the yeast mixture and the honey or maple syrup.
Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour. Using a spoon or your hands, stir to form a shaggy dough. It will be very sticky.
Once it is cohesive, scrape it out onto a work surface dusted with flour and knead in 1/4 cup (30 grams) of flour at a time. Continue kneading until it becomes smooth, elastic, and bounces back when poked. (Note: You may not need to use all the flour.)
Form into a ball and transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover it with a damp towel and let it rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
To test if the dough is risen, poke it with a finger. The dough should be slow to return to normal.
Gently punch the dough down, gather and shape into balls, if you are making dinner rolls or burger buns or a loaf, and place into the appropriate buttered or oiled pan. For small rolls, nestle the balls closely together. For hamburger buns, leave about 1 inch of space in between.
Cover with the towel and let the dough rise until it has doubled in volume, about an hour. Toward the end of the rising time, place a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat it to 375°F.
When the second rise is complete, brush the top with the egg and sprinkle with flaky salt OR brush the top with melted butter..
Bake in the middle of the oven for about 30–45 minutes, until golden brown. If the outside buns are baking too quickly, cover them with foil. The buns will be done when a tap on the bottom produces a hollow sounding. .
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out onto the rack to cool further. Allow the loaf to fully cool before slicing.