The Fluffiest Brioche Buns Recipes

LIGHT BRIOCHE BUNS

Steps:

• In a glass measuring cup, combine 1 cup warm water, the milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat 1 egg.
• In a large bowl, whisk flours with salt. Add butter and rub into flour between your fingers, making crumbs. Using a dough scraper, stir in yeast mixture and beaten egg until a dough forms. Scrape dough onto clean, unfloured counter and knead, scooping dough up, slapping it on counter and turning it, until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Shape dough into a ball and return it to bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using dough scraper, divide dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each into a ball and arrange 2 to 3 inches apart on baking sheet. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let buns rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours.
• Set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center. Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush some on top of buns. Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

QUICK BRIOCHE BUN RECIPE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Combine the warm water, warm milk, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir gently to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Add the salt and egg to the bowl. Use the paddle attachment to combine on low speed.
• Add both flours and mix on low speed until combined, then mix in the butter pieces.
• Switch to the dough hook and knead for 8 minutes. The dough will be very soft and slightly sticky.
• Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead a few times with your hands to form it into a ball. Cut the dough into 8 pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball and place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Loosely cover the dough balls with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the egg and 1 tablespoon milk in a small bowl, stirring with a fork. Remove the towel and brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash. Bake hamburger buns in the oven for 13-15 minutes, until tops are golden.

THE FLUFFIEST BRIOCHE BUNS

Steps:

• Combine all of the tangzhong ingredients in a saucepan, whisking until no lumps remain.
• Place the saucepan over medium heat, whisking or stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
• In a small bowl, combine the lukewarm milk (between 98 and 105 degrees F), yeast and sugar. Cover with a towel and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes or until foamy. Reserve.
• Whisk the flour and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer.
• Start the mixer on low, fitted with the paddle attachment. While running, add the yeast mixture. Let it run for a few seconds before adding the tangzhong, followed by the egg and egg yolk. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
• Remove the paddle attachment and change to the hook attachment.
• Start kneading and add the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Do not add the next tablespoon until the first one is fully incorporated.
• Once all the butter is incorporated, let the stand mixer knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
• Form a ball with the dough and place it in a greased bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and place it in a warm spot (like your oven, turned off) for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
• Gently punch the dough to deflate it. Using a bench knife, portion the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 95g each. Form the dough portions into small balls and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, making sure they have space to double in size. Cover with the towel and let it rise again, for up to 1 hour or until puffy.
• Preheat oven to 375ºF for at least 15 minutes.
• Brush the buns with egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water), then bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove the buns from the oven and immediately brush them with the melted butter. Allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely

PERFECT BRIOCHE BUNS

Steps:

• Measure all the ingredients.
• Add the milk, yeast and honey into the mixing bowl and whisk gently to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
• Add the eggs and yolks, vanilla, and sugar, and whisk gently to break the egg yolks.
• Add the flour and sea salt, and mix with a spatula or dough whisk to form a scraggly dough.
• With the dough hook attachment, knead the dough on speed 2 or 3 for about 3 - 5 minutes.
• Add the first portion of butter, in increments, after the first minute of kneading. Allow the butter to be mixed well into the dough. This should take about 1 - 2 minutes.
• Repeat with the other 3 portions of butter, kneading the dough for about 2 minutes after each addition.
• Make sure to stop the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl (and the bottom) between adding butter and kneading. You will have incorporated all the butter in about 9 - 10 minutes of kneading time.
• Once all the butter is incorporated, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and knead the dough for a further 5 - 15 minutes on speed 5 or 6.
• The dough will have been kneaded enough when it can be lifted fairly cleanly off the bottom of the bowl when picked up with the dough hook. It will be very soft and tacky to the touch, but shouldn't stick to your fingertips. Rather than strictly going by time, knead the dough until you have reached this consistency.
• Flour your work surface, and turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Lightly flour your hands and the surface of the dough to prevent the dough from sticking to your palms. Then flatten the dough with your hands to deflate.
• Fold in the edges of the dough towards the middle and gently press them into the dough (see pictures in my brioche bread loaf post for more information). Carefully flip the dough over, and then with the heel of your palms, shape the dough to form a tight ball.
• Carefully pick up the dough ball and place it back in the mixer bowl (or another large bowl).
• Let it rise until it has doubled in size, in a warm place (72°F), for about 1 hour.
• Turn the proofed dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and fold in the edges again as before towards the middle and press them in. Carefully flip the dough over (seam side down now). Tighten the dough into a ball with a smooth, taut surface (using the edges of your palms). Transfer the dough into the mixer bowl again.
• Cover and let it chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours.
• Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. The dough will be much easier to work with now.
• Line a few baking trays with parchment paper. Keep a bowl of flour, a scale, and a dough cutter ready.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Deflate the dough by flattening it lightly.
• Measure the weight of the dough, and then divide it into 16 pieces (about 75 g per portion).
• Each portion will bake into a burger bun that is 9 - 9.5 cm in diameter. Please see the table in the post for different sizes and yields.
• Place each dough portion on your work surface, with the smooth side down. Fold in the edges towards the middle. Pinch the seams together.
• Dip the smooth side of the dough in a little flour. Carefully flip the dough over, and then using a cupped palm, and with the seam side down, roll the dough portion on your work surface until you get a smooth dough ball.
• Place the smooth, rolled dough on the parchment paper-lined baking tray; 6 buns on a baking tray plus 2 more on another tray.
• Repeat with the other dough portions to get 16 smooth dough balls.
• After arranging the dough balls on your baking trays, flatten them slightly. Cover the buns loosely with plastic wrap. This is important to prevent a skin from forming on the dough as it proofs.
• Proof the bread in the covered loaf pans for about 2 hours at room temperature, or until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C before baking the buns. You can check if the buns are proofed by doing the indentation test (see recipe notes).
• Once proofed, brush the tops with an egg wash. Optional - sprinkle sesame seeds on top. For more flavor, you can sprinkle everything bagel seasoning as well.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown on top, and the internal temperature registers 190°F / 88°C. This can take about 10 - 12 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let the buns cool slightly.
• Transfer the buns to a wire rack and let them cool down to room temperature. They're ready to be served now.
• I prefer to bake one tray at a time. But you can bake two at a time as well, just make sure to switch the tray positions halfway through the baking time. To prevent over-proofing, refrigerate the remaining baking trays with the proofed buns (still covered in plastic wrap) until they're ready to be baked.