Hamburger buns

David W. Cowles

Cooking Corner

Regular readers of this column know I like to make most everything from scratch. I blend my own seasoned salt, seasoned pepper, chili powder and other spice mixes. I grind mustard seeds to make deli-style mustard, and I grate horseradish roots to make tangy horseradish sauces.

I’ll turn a $20 beef brisket into $100 worth of incredibly delicious pastrami; a modestly priced salmon fillet into expensive lox or gravlax; and 2 pounds of ground beef into four salami chubs.

There are exceptions, of course. I know I can’t make four-bean salad that tastes any better or is as inexpensive as the Paisley Farm brand sold at Costco and Sam’s Club.

Hamburger buns are readily available at any grocery. They don’t cost a lot of money, either. But homemade buns are easy to make and much tastier than anything you can buy off the shelf.

These buns have a yeasty, mouth-watering aroma. They’re soft and tender on the inside with a slightly chewy crust. Once you’ve baked a batch of these buns, you’ll want to double the recipe and keep a bag of them in your freezer for hamburgers, tuna salad sandwiches, egg salad sandwiches, etc.

Sesame seed hamburger buns

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white (granulated) sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 package active dry yeast

1/2 cup canola oil (plus 2 tablespoons to oil bowl)

1 large egg (plus 1 egg for egg wash)

1 cup hot tap water (120-130 degrees)

sesame seeds

Preparation

In an electric mixer bowl, combine 1 1/2 of cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Add the 1/2 cup of oil.

With the mixer at low speed, gradually pour in 1 cup of hot water.

Add the egg. Increase the beater speed to medium. Beat for two minutes and scrape the bowl occasionally with a spatula.

Add the rest of the flour, one-quarter cup at a time. Continue to beat for two more minutes, occasionally scraping the bowl.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured breadboard and knead until it’s smooth and elastic — about five minutes.

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a large oiled bowl, turning the ball over so the top of the dough is oiled. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place (80-85 degrees) until it doubles — about 1 1/2 hours. (If your oven has a proofing setting, use it.)

Deflate the dough by punching down the center, then fold the edges of dough into the center. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured breadboard.

Knead lightly to make a smooth ball. Cover with the bowl (upside down) and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into eight equal portions. Knead each portion individually into a “hockey puck” shape, about one-half inch thick by 3 1/2 inches in diameter.

Place the shaped buns 3 inches apart on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Cover them with plastic wrap or a clean towel. Let them rise in a warm place until they double — about 45 minutes.

Brush the buns with egg wash (1 egg mixed with an equal amount of water). Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

Cooking Corner columnist David W. Cowles, the Fastest Chef in the West, can be reached by e-mail at dwcowles-gateway@comcast.net.