Breakfast Buns
ACTIVE TIME: 45 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 3 hours 45 minutes
Yield: 12 Buns
Kinda like a messy bodega breakfast sandwich, only not messy and not from a bodega.Photo by Lynne Calamia
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For the dough:
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for greasing bowl and sheet pan
For the filling:
- 1 pound bulk sage breakfast sausage
- 12 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup sliced chives
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 teaspoons everything bagel seasoning
Specialized Hardware
Digital scale
Rolling pin or small dowel
Pastry brush
ACTIVE TIME: 45 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 3 hours 45 minutes
Yield: 12 Buns
Procedure
Dough:
- Combine the milk and water in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and nuke on high for 30-40 seconds, or until the temperature is between 110℉-115℉. Stir in the yeast, sugar, and salt and set aside for 5-10 minutes or until foam forms on the surface. (If there's no foamy by this time, chances are good your yeast has expired.)
- Place the flour in a large mixing bowl, drizzle in the oil, add the yeast mixture, and stir until you have a shaggy looking dough.
- Lightly coat a large mixing bowl with oil and set it aside. Sprinkle the countertop with a little flour and turn the dough out onto it. Knead with your hands 20 times, then form into a ball, and move to the oiled bowl.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and park, away from direct sunlight or air-conditioning, for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until the dough has almost doubled in size.
Filling:
- While the dough rises, crank the oven to 400℉ and place a rack in the middle position.
- Form the sausage into 12 even patties 2 1/2-inches diameter by 1/2-inch thick Place on a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper and (when the oven hits 400℉) bake for 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, flip the patties over and bake another 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Reduce the heat to 375℉, keeping the rack in the middle position.
- Crack one of the eggs into a small bowl, whisk with 1 tablespoon of water, and set aside. (This will be your egg wash to use later.) Crack the remaining 11 eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk together with the salt, pepper, chives, and 2 tablespoons of water.
- Melt the butter in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the egg and chive mixture and cook, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula until large soft curds begin to form, about 2 minutes. Kill the heat and continue to fold the curds until the eggs are barely set, another 30 seconds. Remove to a clean bowl to cool.
Assembly:
- When the dough has doubled in volume, turn out onto a floured countertop and knead for 3 minutes, adding small amounts of flour as needed to prevent sticking. Form the dough into a ball and then divide in half. Roll one of the halves into a 6-inch log shape and cut into 6 equal pieces 46-47 grams each. (A digital scale is helpful here.) Repeat with the other half of the dough. Cover the balls with a clean kitchen towel and rest 15 minutes.
- Lightly grease a half-sheet pan with a little of the oil. Roll out one of the balls with a rolling pin or small dowel to a disc 5-inches in diameter. Place about 1/4 cup of the scrambled eggs in the center of the circle, followed by a tablespoon of the cheese, then top with a sausage patty. Fold the edges up and over the filling, pinch the pleats with your fingers, and give it a little twist to seal, being mindful to remove as much air from the buns as possible. Place seam-side down on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, placing them 1/2-inch apart from each other. You should be able to fit all 12 balls. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and rest 30 minutes.
- Brush the buns with the egg wash and poke a few holes in the tops with a toothpick or skewer to allow steam to vent. Top with a sprinkling of everything bagel seasoning and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before consuming.
Store leftover buns in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To reheat, wrap individually in aluminum foil and bake in a toaster oven or conventional oven preheated to 350 F for 30-35 minutes from the fridge or 55-60 minutes from the freezer.
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