American Hot Dog Buns No. 1

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 14 g dry yeast (2 sachets or 2 tbsp)
• 125 ml water, lukewarm (not above 45°C)
• 500 ml milk, lukewarm (not over 45°C)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 870 g flour (bread flour)
• 1 egg(s)
• 1 tbsp water, cold
• possibly sesame or poppy seeds or caraway or sea salt for sprinkling
• Oil for working

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 50 minutes

Hot Dog Buns, makes 18 pieces

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar and yeast in the lukewarm water. Add the milk, oil, salt, and a little more than half the flour. Knead with the dough hook of a hand mixer for about 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining flour and knead until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead with your hands until elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and roll it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size. After the first rise, turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. Divide into 18 equal pieces. To do this, first divide the dough into three equal pieces, then halve these thirds, and then divide these halves into thirds again. Roll each piece into a ball and shape the balls into cylinders about 11 cm long. Flatten the cylinders slightly so they are not too high after baking. If you want the buns to be soft on the sides, place the dough pieces about 1.5 cm apart on a greased baking sheet so that they fuse together during the second rise. For crispier buns, increase the spacing to about 7 cm. Cover the dough pieces with a cloth and let them rise a second time for about 45 minutes. 15 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 200°C (top/bottom heat). Mix 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Just before putting the buns in the oven, brush them with the egg-water mixture and sprinkle with seeds or salt, if desired. Bake the buns for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. This is important to prevent the buns from becoming soft. You can also make hamburger buns from the dough. Then divide the dough into 18 equal portions, shape them into balls, flatten them slightly with your hand, place them on a greased baking sheet, and let them rise a second time, also for about 45 minutes. Then proceed as directed in the recipe.