Potato Burger Buns

Ingredients

To make Homemade Potato Buns, you’ll need the following simple ingredients:

• Mashed Potato: Yep, for these buns, you gotta do the mashed potato (doing the twist is optional!). You can use leftover mashed potato (this is great for using up that last little bit in the pan) or make some specifically. Steamed, boiled, or microwaved, it will all work just fine. You need FLOURY potatoes for this recipe, Maris Piper, King Edward, or Desiree, for example.
• Flour: Bread flour is used in this recipe for the best structure and texture. Here in Germany, that’s a 550 flour. In a pinch, you can use all-purpose flour, though you’ll notice some changes in structure and chew.
• Milk: I always use full-fat milk when I bake. If necessary, you can replace this with plant-based options.
• Eggs: I use a German medium-sized egg in this recipe, which is closer to a large in most countries I have visited.
• Butter: I always cook with unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in the final product. It needs to be very soft (room-temp) to incorporate into the dough.
• Yeast: I prefer to use fresh yeast in baking, as I think it tastes better and keeps the bread fresher longer. However, it’s not always available, so you can use active dried yeast or instant yeast. You’ll need 7g / 1 sachet.
• Sugar and salt: An enriched dough like this one needs a balance of sweetness and saltiness to make it extra delicious and counter the big flavours of the burger fillings.

Instructions

Making potato dough is super simple. Yes, it takes a bit of time for the hamburger buns to rise, but trust me, the wait is worth it! 

1. First, prepare your mashed potato if you’re not using leftovers. Peel, then steam, boil, or microwave your potato until tender. Drain, mash (I use a potato ricer, one of my favourite kitchen gadgets), and set aside to cool.
2. Next, combine all of the dough ingredients as well as the mashed potato in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment fitted. Knead on high until the mixture comes together, then on medium for 12 minutes until you have a soft dough. Remove from the bowl, shape it into a ball, then grease the bowl with a bit of oil to stop it from sticking. Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with cling film, then leave it to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, for around an hour.
3. When the dough has risen, turn it out onto a work surface and divide it into equal-sized pieces. It is ALWAYS best to weigh them for uniform results (I recommend a simple digital scale). You’ll get around 10 x 110g pieces out of this much dough, which makes lovely generous burger buns, 80g for smaller burgers, or even smaller for slider buns.
4. Shape each piece of dough into a tight ball, pinching at the bottom to ensure a seal. Places each dough ball on an oven tray (you may need two, depending on the size of your oven) lined with baking paper. Cover loosely, then allow to rise again for 1 – ¼ hours. 
5. After an hour, heat your oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas 6. Whisk together your glaze ingredients, then gently, but thoroughly brush the tops and sides of each of the risen buns. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, then bake the buns in the preheated oven for around 20 minutes until well-risen and deep golden brown.
6. Remove the buns from the oven, mist immediately with cold water from a spray bottle, then cover with a clean tea towel. Allow them to cool for ten minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, still covered with the cloth, which helps to keep them soft.