Jai's Recipes

French Bread buns can be used for sandwiches, burger buns and on their own with your favorite spread. We occassionally get these from Publix and they honestly make the burger. There is absolutely no comparison to the preservative loaded hamburger buns you get in the bread aisle. So I decided to give it a try to make these at home. Pretty good…so much more flavorful than the commercial burger buns.

Servings: 5 rolls.

PREP: 20 minutes COOK: 20 mins TOTAL:  5 hours

Ingredients

• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter
• 1 tsp instant yeast
  

Instructions

Mix the Dough

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sourdough starter. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes until slightly foamy. 
2. Add salt, then gradually stir in bread flour and let your stand mixer knead it with the hook for about 5 minutes on medium speed.
3. Dough will be on the wet side. Wet your hands to handle it..  Cover it with a wet tower and it bulk ferment for 1 to 2 hours…till the dough doubles in size.

Shape the Dough

1. Lightly flour a work surface and scrape the dough onto it.
2. Shape the dough into a log and cut it into 6 pieces and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Shape into round balls. Tuck the dough underneath the balls to create surface tension.
3. Cover with a towel and let it rest for 1 hour for a second rise.

Preheat the Oven  

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F  

Bake the Rolls

1. Flatten the balls of dough with a spatula.
2. Score the buns with 2 lines..one up and down and another one across.
3. Spray the rolls with water.
4. Carefully lift the parchment paper and place the dough balls into a baking sheet and into the hot oven.
5. 10 minutes into the bake….spray with water again. This gives it the crusty surface and the texture.
6. After another 20 minutes into the bake brush with melted butter (optional)
7. Bake for another 5 minutes.

Cool & Serve

• Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving
• Enjoy!
  

Notes:

Buns can be stored in a plastic container for a week.