Sesame Buns

Sesame buns – a simple and delicious recipe, perfect for accompanying family meals or enjoying a lavish breakfast. These golden buns, with a fluffy texture and a lightly toasted sesame flavor, will turn any meal into a feast. In this recipe, I will guide you step by step, providing you with useful tips and suggestions to achieve a perfect result.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Rising time: 1 hour
Baking time: 20-25 minutes
Total: 1 hour and 55 minutes
Number of servings: 8 buns

Ingredients:
- 26 g fresh yeast (about half a cube)
- 4 tablespoons of flour (for the starter)
- 100 ml warm water (for the starter)
- 300 g flour (for the dough)
- 200 ml water (for the dough)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or other vegetable oil)
- 50 g sesame (for decoration)

Preparing the starter:
1. In a small bowl, dissolve the fresh yeast in 100 ml of warm water. Make sure the water is not hot, as excessive heat will affect the yeast.
2. Add the 4 tablespoons of flour and mix well until you get a smooth paste.
3. Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let the starter rise for 15-20 minutes, until it doubles in volume and becomes frothy.

Preparing the dough:
4. In a large bowl, combine the 300 g of flour with the salt. The salt helps strengthen the gluten, giving the buns a pleasant texture.
5. Add the risen starter to the flour mixture, along with the 200 ml of warm water and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well with a spatula or your hands until you get a smooth dough.
6. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, you can add a little flour, but don’t overdo it, so the buns don’t dry out.

Rising:
7. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place for 40-60 minutes, or until it doubles in volume.

Shaping the buns:
8. After the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide it into 8 equal portions and shape balls from each portion.
9. Place the dough balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Gently flatten each ball with your palm to form slightly flat buns.

Glazing and decorating:
10. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Before baking, brush the buns with a little water and sprinkle sesame on top. This will give the buns a delicious crust and an attractive appearance.

Baking:
11. Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until they turn golden and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Serving and variations:
12. Let the buns cool on a wire rack. They are perfect served warm, alongside butter, jam, or cheese. You can also experiment with different seeds for decoration, such as poppy seeds or pumpkin seeds.

A personal note: You can add dried herbs like oregano or thyme to the dough for extra flavor. These sesame buns are not only delicious but also versatile, perfect for sandwiches or as a side for soups and salads.

Enjoy these sesame buns and savor every bite!

 Ingredients: 26g fresh yeast, 4 tablespoons of flour and 100ml of water. 300g flour, 200ml lukewarm water, 30g sugar, 35g butter, 9g salt, 400g flour and 100-200ml of milk, nigella seeds.