BRIOCHE BUNS

Brioche buns image

We show you how to master this soft bread enriched with eggs and milk. Serve split and filled with barbecued meat, burgers or pulled pork

Provided by Jennifer Joyce

Time 35m

Yield Makes 16 small buns or 12 larger ones

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

250ml warm water
2 tsp dried yeast (not fast-action)
3 tbsp warm milk
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
450g strong flour, plus extra for dusting
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, plus 1 beaten egg, for glazing
sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Steps:

Mix the warm water, yeast, warm milk and sugar in a bowl. Let it stand for 5 mins until it becomes frothy - this is how you know the yeast is working.
Tip the flour and 1 tsp salt into a large mixing bowl, add the butter and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the centre of the buttery flour and add the warm yeast mixture and the eggs.
Use your hands to mix it into a sticky dough - don't worry if the mixture feels a little wet at this stage, it will come together when kneading. Tip the dough out onto a floured work surface.
Knead the dough for 10 mins by stretching it on the work surface - it will still be very sticky at this stage but don't be tempted to add too much flour.
The dough is ready when it feels soft and bouncy - this means that the gluten strands have developed. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and set aside to rise for 1-3 hrs or until doubled in size.
Once the dough has doubled in size, knock the air out and knead again for 2 mins. The dough should be much less sticky now, but add a little flour if it needs it.
Divide the dough into 12-16 even pieces. Roll into balls and arrange on lined baking trays. Loosely cover with oiled cling film and leave for about 1 hr or until doubled in size again. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and place a shallow baking tray at the bottom.
Uncover the trays, brush the buns with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Pour a cup of water into a baking tray at the bottom of the oven to create steam (see Tips for success, left). Bake for 20 mins or until golden, then leave to cool on a wire rack.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 163 calories, Fat 6 grams fat, SaturatedFat 2 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 22 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 3 grams sugar, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 5 grams protein, Sodium 0.3 milligram of sodium