I started making Milk Buns when I was running a wholesale bakery operation in New York City. One of my clients, to whom I was providing Po Boy Bread , happened to also want an upgrade on the burger buns he was using. He wanted them to be as soft as possible, buttery but not as much as a brioche, with just a touch of sweetness. I had been playing around with a soft milk bread recipe already, and this sounded like the perfect time to test it out in production. Every time I baked these, it was hard to resist eating multiple. The aroma that filled the kitchen was intoxicating, and the texture that they have is truly “melt in your mouth.” If you want a go to bun for burgers or a soft white loaf for slicing and making simple sandwiches, this needs to be your go to .
How Do You Make Milk Buns?
To make milk buns extremely tender, there is a technique that is known as tangzhong. Tangzhong is a roux that is typically made from either water or milk that is made on the stove, cooled, and then added to your dough. My version of this is a thick and made with flour and milk. I would not skip this step, as I find that for milk buns, the tenderness that comes from using the tangzhong is quite noticeable. It also extends the shelf life of your bread, which means it will last longer.
To make milk buns, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- All Purpose Flour
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Milk
- Instant Yeast
- Unsalted Butter
- Salt
- Sesame Seeds
Yeasted Preferment
50 grams all purpose flour
50 grams water
1 gram instant yeast
Step 1: Combine the flour, water, and pinch of yeast into a container and mix until no dry flour is left. Cover with a lid and let rest for at least 12 hours.
Tangzhong
45 grams bread flour
120 grams whole milk
Step 1: In a saucepan on the stove over medium heat, stir the bread flour and whole milk until a thick paste forms. Set aside until completely cool.
Final Dough Mix
650 grams All Purpose Flour
120 grams granulated sugar
1oo grams yeasted preferment
100 grams whole eggs
240 grams whole milk
10 grams instant
120 grams unsalted butter
10 grams salt
Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attached, combine the yeasted preferment, tangzhong, and all final dough mix ingredients except 70 grams of butter and the salt. Mix on low speed until all ingredients combine.
Step 2: Increase the speed on the mixer to medium. Once the dough starts to take on a firm pumpkin shape, add the remaining butter and the salt. Mix on medium speed until the dough is completely smooth, about 7-8 minutes.
Step 3: Place the dough in a container with a lid and allow to ferment for 3.5 hours at room temperature.
Step 4: After the initial bulk fermentation, divide the dough into 120 gram pieces if you are making buns, or 240 gram pieces if you are making a three section loaf in an 8 x 4 loaf pan.
Step 5: Round the buns and place on a parchment lined sheet tray. Allow to proof in a covered area so the dough doesn’t dry out for 2 hours (for example, your oven while it is turned OFF or inside of a large plastic bag).
Step 6: Preheat your oven to 375f (if you were proofing your dough in the cold, off oven, make sure to take your dough out before starting the preheat).
Step 7: Egg wash the dough and top liberally with sesame seeds.
Step 8: Bake for 13 minutes, or until perfectly golden brown and shiny.
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the flour, water, and pinch of yeast into a container and mix until no dry flour is left. Cover with a lid and let rest for at least 12 hours.
- In a saucepan on the stove over medium heat, stir the bread flour and whole milk until a thick paste forms. Set aside until completely cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attached, combine the yeasted preferment, tangzhong, and all final dough mix ingredients except 70 grams of butter and the salt. Mix on low speed until all ingredients combine.
- Increase the speed on the mixer to medium. Once the dough starts to take on a firm pumpkin shape, add the remaining butter and the salt. Mix on medium speed until the dough is completely smooth, about 7-8 minutes.
- Place the dough in a container with a lid and allow to ferment for 3.5 hours at room temperature.
- After the initial bulk fermentation, divide the dough into 120 gram pieces if you are making buns, or 240 gram pieces if you are making a three section loaf in an 8 x 4 loaf pan.
- Round the buns and place on a parchment lined sheet tray. Allow to proof in a covered area so the dough doesn't dry out for 2 hours (for example, your oven while it is turned OFF or inside of a large plastic bag).
- Preheat your oven to 375f (if you were proofing your dough in the cold, off oven, make sure to take your dough out before starting the preheat).
- Egg wash the dough and top liberally with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 13 minutes, or until perfectly golden brown and shiny.