These buns are not like cinnamon buns. Sourdough Sesame Honey Buns are soft, mildly sweet, infused with honey and sesame taste, and topped with crunchy sesame seeds. I really like them. The buns are a little sweeter and have a different taste from your run-of-the mill breads. Try them for breakfast or for an interesting, tasty sandwich. The buns also are great for dinner alongside a salad or main dish. Although you can certainly make the buns round and "bun-like," I confess that I usually turn the buns into triangles. The reason is that the triangles fit better in the toaster in the mornings. The triangles also take less rolling, shaping, etc.. In other words, making triangles is faster and easier. The taste is the same, so go for whichever version you like. Enjoy!
Sourdough Sesame Honey Buns -- Makes 12
1 cup of sourdough starter/discard
1/2 cup of tahini (make sure to stir it well before adding it)
1 large egg
1/4 cup of water, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
1/4 cup of honey, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
1 cup of whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of baking powder
Sesame seeds
In a large bowl mix together well the starter/discard, tahini, egg, 1/4 cup of water, and 1/4 cup of honey. Stir in the 1 cup of whole-wheat flour. Cover the mixture and set it aside for at least an hour (leaving it for four or five hours is fine). When you're ready, add the 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour and salt and knead them in well for three to five minutes. You can form 12 small rolls with your hands. Alternatively, just pat the dough out into a circle and then cut the circle into 12 wedges. Place the wedges one to two inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Combine the remaining two tablespoons of honey and one tablespoon of water and brush the mixture over the top of the triangles. Sprinkle the tops of the triangles with plenty of sesame seeds. You can bake the triangles immediately or, if you want to let the sourdough process to do it's thing, lightly cover the triangles and let them rise for one to three hours or until they increase by about one-third in size. The baking powder will give the buns rise, regardless of how active a starter/discard you have. If you know you have an especially active starter, you can even leave out the baking powder. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake the triangles for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Comments