These are particularly good buns and are great for breakfast, with your tea or coffee, or for a simple, after-school snack. The buns also make a nice change from plain rolls for dinner. The buns get much of their flavor from crushed, freeze-dried strawberries, and a little crystallized chopped ginger adds additional sweetness and zing. The sourdough tang comes through in the soft, squishy buns but isn't overwhelming--it enhances the flavor. The buns are quick to mix up and a great project to get started in the morning, let sit until lunchtime, and then finish and let rise until dinnertime. You can dust the buns with a little powdered sugar or glaze them if you'd like a sweeter treat, but I don't bother. I think the buns are great "as is," especially warm from the oven. The buns also reheat nicely in the air fryer. Enjoy!
Sourdough Strawberry Ginger Buns -- Makes 9
1 cup of sourdough starter/discard
1 large egg
1/3 cup of canola oil
1/3 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of freeze-dried strawberries (about 1 ounce)
1/2 cup of chopped crystallized (or uncrystallized) preserved ginger
3/4 cup of white whole-wheat or whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons of milk (optional)
In a large bowl combine the starter/discard, egg, oil, and sugar and beat them well. Stir in the freeze-dried strawberries, ginger, and flour. If the mixture seems a little dry, you can beat in the milk (sometimes the flour will seem dry, especially on dry days). Cover the mixture loosely with plastic wrap and let it sit for at least an hour (4-5 hours is fine). When you're ready, add/knead in:
3/4 - 1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of salt
Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes until it's smooth. It should seem damp but not sticky. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and divide the dough into 9 pieces, rolling the pieces into balls about the size of a golf ball (or a little smaller). Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet and flatten them a little so they don't roll. Spritz the dough balls with a little non-stick cooking spray and cover them loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough balls rise until they've increased in size by about a third to a half (this usually takes at least 3-4 hours in my kitchen, which is about 68 degrees). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the buns for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. The buns are good at room temperature but are best served warm with a slather of butter.
