As seen in the video, I googled light burger buns and found this recipe over at The Clever Carrot Blog of which she actually adapted from a recipe in NY Times. And this is my adaption of the adaptation :)

I admit sometimes I like very crusty burger buns and sometimes I like the softest, the fluffiest and the lightest ones. This one is the latter. I was staying over at my brother's and my niece wanted to have burgers for dinner. Though it was during the quarantine time and we couldn't order it out anyway but even if could, we wouldn't. As a family tradition, we would love to make everything at home. It's healthier, tastier, and more fun. I really don't enjoy eating something, I didn't cook/bake or don't know the ingredients and process. 

I don't know with what kind of crazy bravery I baked a recipe that I've never tried at home before for a big family dinner, thankfully it turned out so well, and the photos were also looking very promising. 

This recipe is super easy if you have a stand mixer, if you don't, I don't know. I'm planning on remaking this by hand so I'll let you know about the result, fingers crossed. Because I actually don't own one and I made this over at my sister-in-law's kitchen. 

I always wanted to buy a KitchenAid -and was about to buy one with a really good deal a few years ago which I regrettably remember now- but because up until recently -the quarantine to be exact- I haven't been baking bread, so just for mixing cake batter, they seem to take up too much space on the counter, so I thought. Thank you, mother, for your minimalist countertop rules.  Now I think, everyone who cooks and bakes needs a stand mixer, preferably a KitchenAid. Kneading dough has never been so easy and clean. 

Let's put the fact that I've started saving money for a KitchenAid stand mixer aside and move on with the recipe and the changes I made. 

First of all, I didn't use bread flour and instead, I used all-purpose flour that I had at home.

For the active dry yeast, in Turkey, we have Dr. Oetker's active dry yeast in individual packages of 10 gr. I used one package of active dry yeast (10gr) which is approximately 2 teaspoons, but there you go I'm giving you the exact measurement. 

For the egg wash, I separated the egg and used only the yolk.

I added a couple of drops of Koska Mulberry Molasses or Grape Molasses to get better colour and a little bit sweet taste. This is a traditional technique we use making "Turkish Simit" or similar bread buns. Trust me and try this. You can probably use another type of molasses. I think in Europe and the US molasses is made of boiling sugar cane? Feel free to enlighten me on this, please. We only use fruits like grapes or mulberry to make molasses and I linked them above. 

and a few drops of Olive Oil to make it look shinier. 

and I used melted butter, not softened.

1 cup warm water

3 tbsp warm milk

10 gr active dry years or approx. 2 tsp

2 + 1/2 tbsp sugar

2 eggs 

3 + 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 + 1/2 tsp salt

2 + 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

for the egg wash

1/2 tsp grape or mulberry molasses

1 tsp olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk together the warm water, milk, yeast, sugar and one egg. The other one is for the egg wash. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer -preferably- add the flour, salt, melted butter and mix the ingredients a minute or so. 

Then add in the liquid mixture of water, milk, yeast and egg. Run the mixer on medium speed (like 3 or 4) until a dough forms for about 5 minutes. If the dough isn't a smooth ball, continue the kneading process in the same speed for another 5 minutes. 

Cover the bowl with a plastic wrapper and let the dough rise for 1 + 1/2 hours in warm room temperature. I usually place the bowl close to the stove if I'm cooking something or on top of the radiator if it's on. 

After at least one and half an hour, drop the dough on to a floured surface. Mine didn't need to be kneaded, to be honest. As you'll see in the video, I was about to but decided not to. 

I shaped the entire dough into a log and cut it into 8 equal pieces. You can measure each piece with a scale but I didn't. 

I tried my best to demonstrate how to shape these pieces into smooth balls in my video, of which I'm definitely not an expert and took a short course from my mother. 

Take a piece into your hands and start rolling it between your palms, then put your left thumb in the middle (try not to make too deep of a hole) of the ball and slowly roll the ball on the floured surface to the right. Then there will be a smooth surface on top but a frilly bottom, take the frilly bottom into your palms and twirl the ball by not touching the smooth top. This will gently tuck the frilly bottom inside and you can also get rid of the excess dough. Place the bun's tucked in bottom onto the tray while the perfectly smooth top facing up. (I'm so sorry for this weird description and please watch the video to see what I'm actually trying to explain and make it make sense LOL) Place all the buns at least 5 cm apart. 

When this infuriating process of smoothing the buns are done, set the tray aside for the 2nd rise. I let them rise at least 1 + 1/2 hours. 

After the second rise, separate the remaining egg. In a small bowl, put the yolk, molasses and olive oil and mix it well and gently brush all the buns. At this point, you can sprinkle some sesame seeds or black seeds to the top. I didn't. 

Preheat the oven to 200 C or 400 F with fan and bake the buns for about 15-20 minutes, until they are golden brown. The referenced recipe's owner put half a cup of water into a skillet and placed it into the oven to provide steam. I didn't and I honestly don't think it's necessary. 

(about 8 or 10 servings)

500gr beef mince
1 onion, grated

bon appetite,