Air Buns

I am always looking for better buns.  Both in the kitchen and in my mirror.  I never can resist jokes like that.  I am silly that way.  These buns really are the best.  I have made brioche buns before and these are even lighter than those.  Both are good mind you, but these are a bit more tender.  I really think it is the addition of vinegar.  It might seem weird that there is vinegar in the dough but this is the second recipe I have made that had vinegar in the ingredients and it came out stellar.  I want to say I made other recipes with vinegar but then my memory doesn't serve me that well. 

These are worth your every moment in the kitchen.  Really.  They are just that good.

I had some friends over and made my beet burgers.  I adjusted those beet burgers by replacing the sunflower seeds with walnuts because the sunflower seeds tend to repeat on me.  It was even better with walnuts.  I highly recommend beet burgers.  My husband who HATES beets, loves them.  You would hardly know they were made with beets.  Because they are red, they look like meat. Not that I need them to look like meat but they are pretty.

Air Buns
Printable here.

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 tablespoon yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup lard or shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 1/2 + 3 cups bread flour, divided
1 egg whisked with a tablespoon of water for the wash

In a bowl of a mixer or a regular bowl combine 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 cup warm water.  Sprinkle yeast over top and let sit a moment until foamy.

Meanwhile melt lard and add to it the sugar, salt, and white vinegar. Add in 1 1/2 cups of flour.  Let sit fifteen minutes.

Knead intot he dough the remaining 3 cups of flour.  Knead until smooth and supple.  Let rise until it is doubled, about an hour.

Shape into 16 buns. Brush with egg wash. If you like sesame seeds on them, this is the time to do it.  Place on greased sheet and let rise for about a 1/2 of an hour.  Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes.


Sometimes you make buns that are less than round.  Well, at least sometimes I do.  Not sure what happened there but it tasted the same.