I need help with a bread recipe I'm working on.
I'm working on a hamburger bun recipe. I know, there are many available, but I'm using this as an excuse to teach myself baker's percentages.
What I'm trying to achieve is a soft bun with a high rise, light and airy crumb that tastes good and browns nicely. So far, my attempts have been less than successful. I can get a good rise, but the bread is dense, the crust is white and it doesn't have much flavor. I let it rise at room temperature for two hours prior to shaping and 1 1/2 hours before baking. It is mixed and kneaded in a Kitchen Aid stand mixer.
This is the formula I've come up with so far (the last time I've made it):
bread flour 600g 100%
water 300g 50%
milk 90g 15%
salt 12g 2%
instant yeast 12g 2%
buttermilk powder 12g 2%
This is probably the sixth variation I've done. I figure that the high hydration is causing some problems and it sure makes it harder to shape the buns, so I'm reducing it by 10%. I thought that the buttermilk would add flavor, but it did not, so I'm taking it out. I'm adding sugar for flavor and to aid the yeast. I also thought I'd try a long, slow rise, so I'm cutting the yeast by half and will let it proof for at least 12 hours.
What I'm left with is this:
bread flour 600g 100%
water 210g 35%
milk 120g 20%
salt 12g 2%
instant yeast 6g 1%
sugar 12g 2%
Will this help and what, if any, improvements can I do to achieve my goal? This is the first recipe I have ever tried to develop on my own, but I've been baking bread for more than a decade. I understand the basics, but this is new territory. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Mark