Soft Sourdough Discard Buns

Making delicious sourdough bread is only one side of the sourdough story. Making delicious things with the discard is the flip side.

Soft Sourdough Discard Buns

Makes 8

For the Dough:

355g bread flour

7g (1 sachet) of dry yeast

110g cream, at room temperature

110g water, at room temperature

37g caster sugar

1 egg

35g unsalted butter, softened

125g sourdough discard

8g salt

To Finish:

Egg wash, (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water)

Sesame seeds

Put all the dough ingredients except the salt, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix for 2 minutes on low speed. Add the salt and mix again on low speed for a further 8 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap (I use a disposable shower cap - cos I'm cool 😜), and leave at room temperature for about 1½-2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.

Once risen, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into eight equal portions. Shape into balls and place on a baking paper lined tray, making sure to leave enough space between them so they can rise and spread a little while baking. Cover with a piece of oiled plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or until puffy.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Place a rimmed baking tray on the bottom of the oven.

Brush the tops of the buns with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

Pour a cup of boiling water into the baking tray on the bottom of the oven and slide the buns onto the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Leave buns to cool on a wire rack.