Brioche Buns for the Best Pork Sandwiches (or burgers) EVER
You lovingly cooked the meat, even made homemade pickles and condiments... shouldn't you be baking your own hipster burger (or pulled pork) buns? This recipe really isn't hard, and baking your own bread is really satisfying. Just look how many eggs and tablespoons of butter... how bad could they turn out?
For about 5 pounds of dough-- about 20 buns:
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
½ cup warm (105-115 degrees) water
3 tablespoons sugar
6 eggs, at room temperature, plus 2 more mixed with a tablespoon of cream for brushing the buns
5 cups unbleached organic all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces, at room temperature
Directions:
In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the yeast and water. Stir in the sugar and let stand until the yeast is dissolved and the mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes.
On medium-low speed, add the eggs, one at a time.
Add the flour and salt in a few batches and continue to mix on medium-low until the flour is completely incorporated.
Change to the dough hook and, on low speed, gradually add the butter, one tablespoon at a time. When all of the butter has been incorporated, increase the speed to medium and knead until the butter has been absorbed and a nice, soft dough has formed around the hook, about 5 minutes.
Put the dough in a large bowl and cover with plastic. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours, or let rise overnight in the refrigerator. Punch the dough down.
Divide dough into 4 ounce balls (it should make about 20 buns). Put on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. Let buns rise again in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.
Adjust oven racks to lower-middle and upper-middle positions and preheat oven to 400°F. Gently press dough balls down until approximately 4 inches wide and 2 inches high. Brush entire exposed surface of bun with egg wash. Bake for 7 minutes. Remove buns from oven, brush with more egg wash, and bake until deep, shiny, golden brown, rotating pans top to bottom and front to back half way through baking, 10-15 minutes longer. Transfer buns to rack and allow to cool completely.