Whisk on medium heat until it bubbles and thicken. Use straight away or freeze for future use.
Egg wash
Mix well and pass through a sieve.
Burger buns
While the tangzhong is still warm, add it to cold milk, followed by the egg and then the yeast. We use cold milk to cool the tangzhong down, so it doesn't kill the yeast. Mix until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to a stand mixer bowl and whisk to combine.
Add the wet to the dry and mix on medium heat for ten minutes.
After ten minutes, add room temperature butter and mix for 5 more minutes on medium speed.
Oil a tray and place your dough onto it. Cover flush with plastic wrap and place into the freezer for 15 minutes, or fridge for an hour.
Once rested, divide the dough into 95 gram pieces if making burger buns, 40 gram pieces if making sliders or 20 grams if making mini burger buns.
Roughly roll into a round shape and rest for 15 minutes covered on your work bench.
After the pre-shape, go ahead and shape into tight, smooth round balls. Make sure to close the seam at the bottom of the dough by pinching it close.
Oil your trays then line it with parchment and oil the parchment too. Place your buns onto the trays and cover with another tray turned upside down. Place these in a warm place until fully proven. This can take 2 to 3 hours depending on the temperature.
Keep an eye on them and turn your oven to 180 °C or 356 °F. Once fully proven, they should look gentle and have a visible wobble when you move the tray. Very carefully brush them with egg wash, taking care not to deflate them.
Bake the buns for 15 minutes until golden brown. When done, place on a wire rack and optionally brush them with a touch of melted butter before cooling to room temperature. You can also sprinkle them with a bit of flaky salt.
Eat straight away or store for later.
Video
Notes
Bread improver gives the buns more volume and keeps the crumb soft. You could also substitute it with 10 grams of diastatic malt powder.
If not using added wheat gluten, you need to use strong bread flour with a protein content of 15%.
Xanthan gum stabilises the air in the dough, but can easily be left out. Especially when using a 15% protein content bread flour.
The added three "obscure" ingredients plays an important role to make these the best burger buns you'll ever taste. However, you can leave them out and still end up with amazingly soft milk buns.If you have some leftover mashed potatoes, you could use that instead of the tangzhong.Important tips for success
It's best to use a stand mixer and knead the dough for the recommended time.
Use oil instead of flour when handling the dough.
When shaping the buns, make sure they're smooth and the bottom seam is closed. Bad shaping shows in the final result.
Make sure to pre-heat your oven at least 30 minutes before baking.
Space the buns out adequately on the baking trays. They inflate a lot.
The ideal temperature range to prove them is between 30 °C - 35 °C (or 86 °F - 95 °F). They take a long time, but can also over proof. Keep an eye on them and don't poke them. Rather, use the wobble test.
Apply the egg wash carefully to avoid deflating them.
If your oven cooks unevenly, turn the tray around halfway through baking.
Storage instructionsCan be stored airtight at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. Freeze for longer storage, wrapped in plastic for up to 6 months.To serve them, you simply cut in half and toast the cut sides on medium heat in a pan with a touch of butter.