The Fluffiest Brioche Buns
Made using the tangzhong method, these brioche buns are light, buttery and pillow-y soft! They can be enjoyed freshly baked or lightly toasted, and they make the best burgers I have ever tasted.
Ingredients
For the tangzhong:
- 18 grams (2 tablespoons) bread flour
- 60 ml (¼ cup) whole milk
- 25 ml (2 tablespoons) water
For the dough:
- 180 ml (¾ cup) whole milk, lukewarm
- 9 grams (1 tablespoon) active dry yeast
- 30 grams (2 ½ tablespoons) sugar
- 415 grams (3 ¼ cups) bread flour
- 10 grams (1 ½ teaspoons) kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 43 grams (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
Topping:
- Egg wash: 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water
- 43 grams (3 tablespoons) melted butter
Equipment
Instructions
Make the tangzhong:
- 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.
Make the dough:
- 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
Notes
Size:
For smaller buns, divide the dough into 12 pieces instead of 8. You can make them even smaller, as sliders. Time to bake will be slightly shorter.Toppings:
If adding toppings, like seeds or flaky salt, sprinkle them on the buns after brushing with egg wash.Make Ahead:
You can make the dough and let it do the first rise at room temperature. Once doubled, cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days. When ready to use, remove from the fridge and continue with step 8.Substitutions:
Please read the post before substituting the ingredients.Storage:
While these buns are best eaten freshly baked, they can be stored - tightly wrapped or in a ziploc bag - for up to 3 days. Make sure they are completely cool before placing in the fridge.Freezing:
For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months. To freeze, tightly wrap each cooled bun individually. Then place on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the wrapped buns to a freezer bag.Thawing:
Thaw at room temperature or in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes.Nutrition
Serving: 1bun, Calories: 325kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 74mg, Sodium: 548mg, Potassium: 118mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 385IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 1mg