Herb and onion sourdough buns

Hearty rolls perfect for burgers, sandwiches and more!

These brioche-style buns are hearty and flavourful and make the perfect sidekick for burgers and sandwiches. We particularly liked them for open-faced ones as the buns are sturdy enough to pile high without having them fall apart.The dill and onion combination was fantastic but feel free to experiment with your favourite herbs and flavourings.

Ingredients

Dough:

• 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour, plus a little more for work surface
• 3/4 cup (185 mL) milk, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) white sugar
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) active sourdough starter, at room temperature.
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) each dried dill leaves and onion flakes
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt

Topping:

• Egg wash (1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon / 15 mL water)
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Method

• In a large bowl, combine all the dough ingredients except the salt and butter and let autolyse (rest) for 30 minutes.
• Add salt and melted butter, and knead dough in the bowl, by hand, until the dough feels less sticky and is starting to come together in a ball (2 – 3 minutes). Depending upon the hydration of your starter, you may need to add a tablespoon or two of additional flour, a teaspoonful at a time, to achieve a dough that comes together in a ball.
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead for 2 – 3 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
• Transfer dough to a clean bowl, cover with plastic, and allow to rise at room temperature for 2 hours. Refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 8 equal parts, and roughly shape into balls. Cover with a clean towel or oiled plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. After the dough balls have finished resting, reshape each one into a ball then flatten gently into a disc and place on the prepared baking sheet, at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Cover tray of dough and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size (about 3 hours, depending on the temperature in your home).
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375F. While oven heats, set a cast iron frying pan or a sturdy baking tray on the lower rack of the oven. Prepare the egg wash then brush each bun with it, followed by a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
• Transfer the buns to the preheated oven and, working as quickly and carefully as possible, add two handfuls of ice cubes or a cup of cold water into the preheated frying pan or spare baking pan (this will create steam to help in the baking process).
• Bake buns for 25 minutes or until nicely browned on top, rotating the sheet halfway through baking. Cool on a rack completely before slicing.

Makes 8 large buns.