Recipe: Brioche Burger Buns

Brioche burger buns

Once upon a time, a burger in a brioche bun was a novelty that only existed in a handful of places in London.  We all marvelled and wondered why we hadn’t thought of it before.  After a while, it came to be the defining ingredient of a quality burger, something that set it apart from the floury ‘pub grub’ burger baps.  Now, they are everywhere.  It has been a long time since I saw a menu without one.  Brioche-mania is far from over.

I’m not actually sure that using a brioche bun is the right choice for every burger, but anyway.  There are some renegades that do use other bread, and it works really well.

Anyway, if brioche is your preferred bun, you want the same for your home cooked burgers, right?  For a while, they were difficult to find, limited only to a few independent bakeries.  Now, you can buy them in most supermarkets.  The best ones I have found so far are Chappers’ bun of choice:  Aldi’s brioche buns at four for £1.

As well as this, you could make your own.  Of course, brioche is a time-consuming beast to make, and the amount of butter you add to the mix will make your arteries quiver, but it is worth doing.  You can create buns of the perfect size to suit your own homemade burgers.  This recipe is based on a savoury brioche by Paul Hollywood.  You will need about 12 hours to complete the whole process, including chilling the dough overnight.

Brioche Burger Buns
Makes eight

500g strong white bread flour
10g fine salt
10g instant yeast
170ml warm full-fat milk
4 eggs
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg, beaten, for glazing
1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

Put the flour, salt, yeast, milk and eggs into the bowl of a free-standing mixer and, using the paddle attachment, mix until the dough becomes smooth and shiny.  Continue to mix for another five minutes, adding the butter a teaspoon at a time until all of the butter incorporated into the dough.  It is important to add the butter gradually.

Tip the dough into an oiled plastic container with a lid.  The volume of the container should be a minimum of one litre so the dough has room to expand.  Leave to prove in the fridge overnight.

Line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper.  Remove the dough from the fridge and divide into eight equal portions.  To make the bun shape, flatten out the dough into a disc and bring the edges into the centre and pinch together.  Turn upside down and place on the baking tray.  Place four buns on each tray, ensuring that there is enough space between them to allow them to expand.  Cover the rays with clingfilm or a clean plastic bag and leave to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 190ºc / 375ºf / gas 5.  Brush the buns with a little beaten egg and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until risen and golden.  If you tap the bottom of the buns, they should sound hollow.  Leave to cool on a rack.