This potato bread dough is perfect for hot dog and hamburger buns because it is nice and soft and slightly sweet. WAY better than the fluffy buns of nothingness that you get at the grocery store.
BREAD RECIPE HELP
INGREDIENTS
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, or more, if needed, divided; spoon into measuring cup and level to rim
2/3 cup mashed boiled potato; such as 1 large Yukon Gold, peeled or equivalent
1/4 cup sugar
1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) Instant Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
3/4 cup whole or 2% milk
1/4 cup reserved potato water or water; save the water the potato is boiled in and use in the recipe
1/4 cup butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
3 – 4 tablespoons sesame or poppy seeds, optional
KELLY SAYS: I like to sift my flour, after measuring, through a large sieve. It helps get rid of any lumps.
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP I: MAKE THE POTATO BREAD DOUGH
1. In a bowl of stand mixer, combine 1 cup flour, mashed potato, sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt.
2. Clamp the bowl onto the stand mixer. Fit with the dough hook attachment and mix on low until the ingredients are combined.
3. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the milk, water, and butter, while stirring, until it reaches 120 degrees to 130 degrees F as measured with an Instant Read Thermometer when the mixture is removed from the heat.
4. With the mixer on low, gradually add the warm milk mixture at the side of the bowl to the flour mixture.
When complete, beat for 2 minutes at medium speed, stopping the mixer and scraping bowl and beater occasionally.
5. With the mixer on low, slowly add in 2 1/3 cups flour at the side of the bowl, to make a soft dough.
NOTE: After adding, you should have about 2/3 cup flour remaining. Use some or all of the amount to knead into the bread dough in Step #6.
You want the dough to be soft, but not overly sticky and remain slightly tacky.
6. Knead dough: Remove dough from the mixing bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Use the flour from the remaining 2/3 cup flour.
Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add more flour as needed.
STOP adding flour when the dough is soft, but not overly sticky, but continue to knead for the full 8 to 10 minutes.
NOTE: If you need extra flour beyond the remaining 2/3 cup, add more, a tablespoon at a time, and knead after each addition; however, you do not want the dough to end up dry – it should be slightly tacky
Form dough into a rounded ball when done kneading.
7. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning ball over, to oil the top. Cover the bowl with piece of lightly greased-side-down plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.
8. After dough has rested, place it on a lightly floured surface and gently press it out into a 16 x 8-inch rectangle.
Do not force the dough to stretch. If it resists and shrinks back into its original size after stretching, cover the dough loosely with a piece of lightly greased-side down plastic wrap and wait for 10 minutes or until the dough does not resist being stretched.
Repeat the resting period several times during the stretching process, if necessary.
STEP II: SHAPE THE HAMBURGER OR HOT DOG BUNS
Shape the Hamburger Buns
Full recipe makes 8; Half recipe makes 4
1. Position the oven shelf in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Using a bench scraper, cut straight down through the shaped 16- x 8-inch dough rectangle in half horizontally. Make sure you do not tear at the dough.
Set the other half aside for making the rest of the hamburger buns. Cover loosely with piece of lightly greased-side down plastic wrap so it does not dry out.
3. Cut the dough half into 4 equal pieces. Make sure you cut straight down through the dough with the bench scraper.
To make sure you have evenly sized pieces, weigh each one.
If you need to adjust any one size, cut a piece of dough with the bench scraper; do not tear a piece from the dough.
To combine, simply press the cut piece of dough onto the other piece.
4. To form a hamburger bun, the dough needs shaping.
To shape, pick up one of the four dough portions at a time.
A. Begin pulling the sides down and pinching them under the bottom of the roll.
B. Do this all the way around the dough, forming a round.
C. The bottom of the roll will look like this:
D. The top of the roll will look like this…a round roll, with a nice tight skin:
E. Place the shaped bun on a silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet, seam side-down, about 2 inches apart, and gently flatten the roll.
After you flatten the rolls, they should be about a 1/2-inch apart.
Always cover any unbaked shaped dough loosely with a piece of lightly greased-side down plastic wrap until needed.
F. Repeat Step 4, A – E with the rest of the cut dough pieces.
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 with the reserved half cut from the original 16 x 8-inch dough (makes 8 hamburger buns).
Remove the plastic wrap and cover the filled baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in warm, draft-free place for 30 minutes, until the Hamburger Buns are nicely risen – about 30%.
Go to STEP III: FINISHING TOUCHES AND BAKE
Shape the Hot Dog Buns
Full recipe makes 10; Half recipe makes 5
1. Position the oven shelf in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Using a bench scraper, cut straight down through the shaped 16- x 8-inch dough rectangle in half horizontally. Make sure you do not tear at the dough.
Set the other half aside for making the rest of the hot dog buns. Cover loosely with plastic wrap so it does not dry out.
3. Cut the dough half into 5 equal pieces. Make sure you cut straight down through the dough with the bench scraper.
To make sure you have evenly sized pieces, weigh each one.
If you need to adjust any one size, cut a piece of dough with the bench scraper; do not tear a piece from the dough.
To combine, simply press the cut piece of dough onto the other piece.
4. To make a more uniform hot dog bun, the dough needs shaping.
NOTE: Do NOT just place the unshaped rectangles of dough on the baking sheet; they will rise more in the center, than they do in the ends, making for a sub-par hot dog bun.
To shape:
A. Roll or press each cut dough piece into a long, rectangle, approximately 8-inches long x 3-inches wide.
B. Fold the short edges to the center of the rectangle and press down, gently.
C. Fold long edges toward the center and press down gently.
D. Bring the long edges in toward the center and pinch the seam together, to seal.
E. Turn the roll over, seam side down.
F. Place the shaped dough on silpat lined baking sheet, about 1-inch apart.
Press gently, to form a rectangle that's about 5 1/2-inches long and 2 1/2-inches wide.
Always cover any unbaked shaped dough loosely with a piece of lightly greased-side down plastic wrap until needed.
G. Repeat Step 4, A – F with the rest of the cut dough pieces.
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 with the reserved half cut from the original 16 x 8-inch dough (makes 10 hot dog buns).
6. Remove the plastic wrap and cover the filled baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in warm, draft-free place for 30 minutes, until rolls are nicely risen – about 30%.
Go to STEP III: FINISHING TOUCHES AND BAKE
STEP III: FINISHING TOUCHES AND BAKE
1. With a clean spray bottle filled with water, spray the rolls generously with water, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
If you want your rolls to have a shiny top, you may brush them with a beaten egg white or two, instead of water.
For the hamburger rolls, you may add some visual interest by snipping a shallow X on top of the rolls, using kitchen shears. The cut should only be about 1/4-inch deep.
2. Bake rolls in a well-preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until they are nicely golden brown.
To be completely accurate, each roll should reach an internal temperature of 190 to 210 degrees F measured with an instant read thermometer placed through its underside.
3. Remove from baking sheet; cool on wire rack. Slice each bun in half, and then, have a barbeque!!
STORAGE
Wait until the rolls cool completely before wrapping in plastic wrap or a few times in foil and storing them in an airtight plastic bag or in a bread box. Bread is best stored at room temperature in a cool, dry place for 2 to 3 days or kept frozen, where it will keep fresh for 2 to 3 months. Pre-slice it, if you want to, so you can take out one or two rolls at a time.
