The Burgerdude's Burger Buns

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 3 cups king arthur bread flour
• 1 tablespoon dry milk (I've used non-dairy creamer in a pinch)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons soft butter (in pieces)
• 2 tablespoons wheat germ (non-toasted)
• 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten (such as Bob's Red Mill brand)
• 2 teaspoons yeast
• 1/4 cup sesame seed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

1. 1

   Place all ingredients except the sesame seeds, egg, and milk into the bread machine as per your machine’s instructions. I have a Zojirushi machine. I use the homemade setting without the bake cycle. It takes 2 hours and 50 minutes, and has two rises.

2. 2

   When the dough is ready, you will take pinches off the dough about the size of a golf ball. Turn the ball into itself so you have one smooth side with a pinched seam at the bottom. Flatten into a disk with your hands. This disk needs to be no more than a half inch thick. Don’t worry – it will rise. Place disk on ungreased cookie sheet. Complete until all the dough is gone. You should have eight to twelve buns. Cover with a towel, keep in a warm place, and let rise until at LEAST doubled in size. If you make these using the ingredients above, they will triple in size.

3. 3

   Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. When the dough is ready, prepare the sesame seeds. In a hot nonstick skillet, toast while constantly stirring / moving sesame seeds until lightly toasted. Remove from heat and from pan.

4. 4

   Prepare the glaze. Beat 1 egg with 1 tbsp milk and set aside.

5. 5

   Gently brush the tops and sides of the buns with the glaze, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place sheet in oven and bake for 15 minutes or so until done. Your nose will tell you. Remove from oven, cover with a clean towel, and let cool for five or ten minutes before slicing. Covering and cooling are important steps.