Golden Pull-Apart Butter Buns

Soft, warm, buttery and sugary buns

I have discovered the joy of baking bread, not to mention that it's easier to make compared to baking a cake. From kneading the dough to a smooth elastic finish, watching it grow into a beautiful soft mound of puffiness, to the final stage when the tops turn golden brown in the oven, it can be quite a therapeutic and gratifying experience.

I came across the recipe for these buns on the website for King Arthur Flour and immediately knew that I had to make them one day. I had some potato flour in the pantry which I had been meaning to use in baking bread. Apparently, adding potato starch to the dough helps to retain the moisture in the bread when it is baked. And indeed, these buns were soft and moist, with buttery and crunchy sugar-crusted tops. I sliced them in half and placed some butter in between, and Z polished off two whole buns. We all love our butter!

Please find the recipe below:

Brushed the tops with melted butter and sprinkled with granulated sugar.
The "bread ring" is brushed with honey and topped with sesame seeds and chopped almonds,
then brushed with melted butter too!

Golden Pull-Apart Butter Buns
Adapted from King Arthur Flour
Ingredients

3 1/2 cups plain flour

2 teaspoons (7g) instant yeast

2 tablespoons potato flour or 1/4 cup instant potato flakes

3 tablespoons Baker's Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk (I used regular milk powder)

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons soft butter

2/3 cup lukewarm water

1/2 cup lukewarm milk

Topping:

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 tbsp sugar

Sesame seeds

Water for brushing

Method

1. Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl, and mix and knead — using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle — to make a soft, smooth dough.
2. Place the dough in a lightly greased container — an 8-cup measure works well here — and allow the dough to rise for 60 to 90 minutes in a warm draught-free place, until it's just about doubled in bulk.
3. Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.
4. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces, by dividing in half, then in halves again, etc. Round each piece into a smooth ball.
5. Lightly grease two 8" round cake pans. Space 8 buns in each pan. Can you use 9" round cake pans, or a 9" x 13" pan? Sure; the buns just won't nestle together as closely, so their sides will be a bit more baked.
6. Cover the pans, and allow the buns to rise till they're crowded against one another and quite puffy, about 60 to 90 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 180°C.
7. Uncover the buns, brush with water and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake them for 22 to 24 minutes, until they're golden brown on top and the edges of the center bun spring back lightly when you touch it.
8. Remove the buns from the oven, brush with the melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. After a couple of minutes, turn them out of the pan onto a cooling rack.
9. Serve warm with butter. Store leftovers well-wrapped, at room temperature. Warm up in the microwave for 10-20 seconds before serving.

Yield: 16 buns.

Soft, moist and chewy goodness

Bread ring with sweet pecan butter filling