Wholemeal Bread Buns

Ingredients

• • 300g strong wholemeal bread flour
  • 200g strong white bread flour
  • 7g instant yeast
  • 10g salt
  • 30g unsalted butter, softened
  • 330ml luke warm water
  • 1 tbsp Honey, (optional)
  • Sesame seeds or oats, (optional topping)

Instructions

• Mix & Knead

  1. Mix flours, yeast, and salt in a large bowl (keep yeast and salt on separate sides of the bowl).
  2. Add butter, honey, and warm water.
  3. Mix to form a rough dough.
  4. Knead 10 mins by hand (or 8 mins in a stand mixer) until smooth and elastic. Dough should be soft and slightly tacky.

• First Proof (60–90 mins)

  1. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover.
  2. Let rise until doubled in size.
  3. Ideal environment: warm (around 24°C). Cooler kitchens may need closer to 90 mins.

• Shape Buns

  1. Tip dough onto a lightly floured surface.
  2. Divide the dough into equal pieces, 8 - 12 depending on how big you'd like them.
  3. Shape each piece into a smooth ball or slightly flattened bun.
  4. Place on a lined baking tray, leaving space to expand.

• Final Proof (30–40 mins)

  1. Cover shaped buns with a damp cloth or lightly greased cling film.
  2. Let rise until puffy and nearly doubled.

• Bake

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C (fan 180°C).
  2. Bake 14–18 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.

• Cool & Serve

  1. Let buns cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing. This prevents squashing and keeps the crumb soft.