Beranbaum’s Best Buns for World Bread Day 2009

Just for World Bread Day 2009, and because we need some hamburger buns around these parts, I bring you this post.

I’ve seen several burger recipes lately, all of which look wonderful and all of which are brioche-style buns. And to be honest, after making brioche I can certainly see how a brioche burger bun would be delicious. However, we really don’t eat that way around here on a regular basis. Really, butter is great, but I’d like to see my daughter grow up and I’d like to spend the next 60 years or so married to my darling husband. So those staggering amounts of butter and eggs are just not included in our regular diet.

But who said food that’s good for you can’t taste good? Too many people think that something that’s healthy doesn’t taste as good as something that’s fat and calorie-laden. This recipe from Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Pie and Pastry Bible and The Bread Bible, proves that a soft, tasty bun does not have to go straight to your buns. Here’s my adaptation of Beranbaum’s Best Buns.

All the ingredients in one place.

Although the recipe only calls for 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour, I know I can increase that a bit and still come out with a nice light dough. The wheat flour is King Arthur White Whole Wheat. If you’re not a huge fan of whole wheat flavor, this is a good type to try. It’s less strong than regular (red) whole wheat, and it still has the benefit of using the whole grain.

I also use an unbleached white flour made by a small mill, Swany White Flour Mills, located in Freeport, MN. In addition to being unbleached (and organic), the flour has the added nutrition of the germ being added back into it. For those who don’t have access to a comparable flour, just add a bit of germ, maybe 2 teaspoons or so, to the flour.

The dough comes together nicely, although it’s raining here again today so I had to add a bit more flour than I expected.

The dough is ready to be shaped.

Each bun is 148 grams!

Shaped and ready for their second rise. Have I mentioned I love sesame seeds? I brushed the tops of the buns with milk before placing the seeds on top. Oh, and nope, no seeds in the dough.

Looks like the buns are ready to go in the oven. After a little wait, here they are. Ready for their burgers.

But tonight is Friday night, which in our house is homemade pizza night, so those burgers will have to wait until tomorrow. Boy, those buns look good though. I’ll post the burger photos in a few days. Yum!

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After It’s All Finished, Can I Get a Do-Over?

I wonder if anyone else is needing a do-over on one or two of these BBA breads? Up until now, I haven’t had any trouble with the recipes. Heck, I didn’t really have any trouble with this one either. But the Ciabatta al Funghi I turned out didn’t quite have the texture that it should have.

I should start at the beginning though. Here’s the flour. Where else would I begin?

Oh, oops! Probably with the biga. Which I forgot to photograph until the next morning. While it was resting on the counter in pieces trying to warm up from its night in the fridge.

Once the biga was mixed with the above flour and remaining ingredients, it made a really nice, very wet dough. But you’ve seen lots of dough, and how interesting is that? What you really want to see are the funghi. The dry ones:

These mushrooms are from our local farmer’s market. Every once in a blue moon, a trip to the market brings the delightful sight of a special booth. Local mushroom farmers, who usually sell to restaurants, appear and treat us to such beauties as these golden oyster mushrooms. They actually bring several varieties, both fresh and dried, but these were our favorites, so I stocked up on a bag of the dried.

And the fresh mushrooms for the Ciabatta. Yum!

After the requisite folding and couche-ing (is that a word?), the Ciabatta al Funghi made its trip into the oven. I don’t think I let it rise quite long enough, but what emerged was still very tasty!

I do think I’ll be making this again. Partly because I need that do-over, but mostly because this bread is delicious!

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