Hot Dog Buns

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup milk, warm
• 2 ¾ cups bread flour
• ½ teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs, one for dough, one for eggwash
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

1. Mix the yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and warm milk and leave to proof—about 5 minutes.

2. Combine two and a half cups of flour, the remaining sugar, and salt. Mix well.

3. Add the proofed yeast, one egg, and melted butter, and use a sturdy spoon to mix until everything comes together in a rough, shaggy mass of dough.

4. Cover with a plastic wrap or a tight-fitting lid and leave to rest for five minutes.

5. Remove the lid, turn the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead, gradually adding the leftover quarter cup of flour – your dough will still be soft, but don’t be tempted to add more flour.

6. Return the dough to the bowl and grease the surface with a bit of oil or melted butter, cover with a plastic wrap or a tight-fitting lid, and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

7. Punch down the dough to remove any trapped air and transfer it back to a lightly floured work surface.

8. Divide the dough into eight pieces, roll each out about 6 inches long, and pinch down the sides and ends.

9. Place the buns, seam-side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

10. Make the egg wash by whisking one egg, then brush the buns with the egg wash.

11. Cover the loaves and leave them to rise for 15minutes. They should become nicely puffy.

12. Place in a 350F preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.