Homemade Hot Dog Buns the tangzhong way

There is something satisfying in the slight imperfections of homemade hot dog buns. Just as soft and fluffy as any bland conveyor belt bun but with flavor and character. This is a bun I want to invite to my dinner party. You can make these hot dog buns the day of or start the dough ahead of time and do an overnight rise for even more flavor. Bonus- these buns freeze well.

Like buns hon??

There are a lot of homemade buns on this site. All of them are delicious because fresh baked bread is delicious- I just like to experiment. 

If you are looking for a vegan soft bun recipe please try these pretzel buns (You don’t have to do the pretzel step but it makes them look amazing).

OR if you want a straight up milk bread this is my go to.

Homemade Hot Dog Buns

This is an adaptation of the classic Asian milk bread- use all purpose flour for a softer crumb or bread flour for a more structured bun.

Wondering what the heck tangzhong is?? It’s a paste of flour and water or milk that adds structure and moisture -so your dough is less stick and the resulting bread or bun will stay soft longer. King Arthur Flour has an excellent primer.

I’ve combined some steps and done the majority of mixing in a stand mixer. If you choose to knead by hand it’s more time consuming but does help the texture. For detailed hand mixing instructions see the FOOd52 recipe linked here.

Homemade Hot Dog Buns the tangzhong way

homemade hot dog buns using an adaptation of asian milk bread to make soft and fluffy rolls

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Rising Time 3 hours hrs

Course Bread

Cuisine Baking

Servings 12 buns

Equipment

• stand mixer

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the tangzhong

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup bread flour

For the hot dog buns

• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
• 5 cups bread flour (600 grams)
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk or milk powder optional
• 2 eggs
• 4 Tablespoons butter softened

for the egg wash

• 1 splash milk or water and one egg whisked together

Instructions

 

• Whisk 3/4 cup water and 1/4 cup of bread flour together in a smallish saucepan until no lumps remain. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly.until it thickens to a gel like consistency (Usually only 2 or 3 minutes). As soon as lines appear in the mixture when stirred, remove it from the heat and allow to cool.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the yeast and 1/4 cup of the milk heated to about 110F (You can do this in the microwave or on the stovetop)
• While the yeast proofs and the flour paste cools , whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar.
• Add the remaining milk, cream, and the two eggs to the flour paste and whisk to combine.
• Add the wet and dry ingredients to the proofed yeast in the stand mixer and. Use the dough hook and knead on 2 for a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer (The recommended dough speed)for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the dough forms a semi-smooth ball and loses most of its stickiness. This should happen without adding anymore flour but you can add up to a a half a cup more of flour if it's stays sticky or if kneading by hand.
• Add the butter to the dough, one tablespoon at a time, kneading after each addition. Add the second tablespoon of butter only after the first has been evenly incorporated. Knead for an additional 4 to 5 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled. You can also, if time allows, let the dough rise overnight in the fridge. IT’s best to use plastic wrap to cover the bowl for this or the dough will dry out.
• Once the dough is doubled, turn it out and punch it down. Divide it into twelve equal pieces. For each piece, roll the dough out to a long oval. Fold the oval into thirds widthwise, then flatten again into a rectangle-ish piece that is as wide as you would like your buns to be. Roll the dough up lengthwise, then place into a butter casserole dish. Repeat with remaining pieces.
  
• Let the dough rise again until it’s nearly doubled, another hour or so. After about 40 minutes, preheat the oven to 350° When the dough seems ready, test it by pressing it gently with one finger; when the indentation bounces back slowly but remains visible, the dough is ready to bake.
• Brush the egg wash mixture over the formed buns. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden-brown on top.
• Allow to cool before serving. Can be frozen for up to a month. When baking for two I set four buns aside to use immediately and then freeze the rest as soon as they have cooled to room temperature.

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