Burger buns (vegan)

When I make burger patties, in my mind the perfect way to serve them is sandwiched in a burger bun with lots of colourful salad.  Most times I put too much energy into the patties, don't have time to make any buns and am lucky if I even remember to buy some in the shops.  For some time I have wanted to find a good burger buns recipe.  This one might well be the keeper I have been seeking.

When I recently made smoky apple vegie burger patties, I took a burger bun recipe from The Kitchn and veganised it with aquafaba.  It was a lovely dough to work with and relaxing to knead it at the kitchen table while chatting to my mum, leave it to rise while I made chocolates, and then shape it under her watchful eye.  My mum made bread during my childhood and I learnt a lot from her and these days it is great to talk about bread making with her. 

I might have also been harking back to my childhood when I sprinkled sesame seeds on top of the buns.  It is a long time since I had a MacDonalds burger, but I can still recite at speed "two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickled onions on a sesame seed bun".  I have no desire for their burgers these days but sesame seeds still seem right on a burger bun.  Unfortunately Sylvia took a child's dislike to seeds and was most displeased with my sprinkling.  No Maccas burgers in her childhood, you see!

Luckily for Sylvia, burgers these days are more sophisticated than those of my youth.  She is not keen on burgers but at least I can show her how good they can be when she finally embraces them!  While burger buns are rather plain, they really do make a burger look special.

More yeasted buns/rolls from Green Gourmet Giraffe:
Carrot and poppy seed dinner rolls (v)
Cranberry nut rolls
Hot Cross Buns - wholemeal (v)
Pretzel buns (v)
Pumpernickel Rolls with Currants (v)

Burger buns
Adapted from The Kitchn
Makes 8 buns

1 tablespoon active-dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tbsp ground flax (linseeds)
3 tbsp aquafaba
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups white plain flour
1 tablespoon margarine
sesame seeds for sprinkling

• Mix yeast and warm water in a large mixing bowl.  Stand for about 5 minutes until the mixture is frothy so you know the yeast is doing its thing!
• Mix in milk, flax, aquafaba, oil, sugar and salt.  Add in flour until you have a shaggy dough.
• Knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky.  (I needed very little flour for kneading.
• Return dough to the mixing bowl, cover with clingfilm and set aside in a warm place to rise for an hour or until doubled in size.
• Divide dough into 8 pieces and shape into tight balls.   Place buns on a lined baking sheet with an inch or two between each.
• Cover buns with a tea towel and let rise for about 30-40 minutes until puffy.  
• While buns are rising preheat oven to 190 C or 375 F.
• When buns are risen, melt margarine and brush over the tops of buns.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  
• Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

On the Stereo:
The best of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds

This post is part of the Vegan Month of Food (Vegan MoFo) in November 2016.  Go to my Vegan MoFo list for more of my 2016 Vegan MoFo posts. 

Week 4's theme is Memories and Traditions