Hamburger Buns

Ah the smell of baking bread...it is one of those comfort smells especially with the Polar Vortex in summer.  I forgot to pick up hamburger buns at the grocery store so what better than making some myself.  I've made honey wheat buns before so I went for plain white buns this time.  

Hamburger Buns

1 cup warm water
1 package (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
3 tbsp sugar

Mix together and let sit for 10 minutes.  

In a large mixing bowl, combine -

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp sea salt

After 10 minutes, add in yeast mixture plus 2 tbsp melted butter and mix.  Put a dough hook on your mixture and completely combine the ingredients, scraping the sides of the bowl.  You can also use your dough setting on a bread machine.  Turn out dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until the dough is smooth.  Roll into a large ball and place in the mixing bowl that has a tablespoon of olive oil coating the sides.  Roll the dough over so all sides are covered in the olive oil.  Cover with a cloth towel and let rise until doubled.  
Turn out dough when doubled, and cut into 8 equal pieces.  Roll in your hands into 4" disks that are about 1/2" thick and place on a parchment lined baking pan.  Allow to rise again until doubled.  

Brush with an egg wash of 1 large egg and 1 tsp water mixed together.  Sprinkle on sesame seeds if you like.    Bake at 400° for about 15 minutes.