Halloween Preparations + Buttery Sourdough Buns Recipe

Halloween week is upon us and we have a lot of activities going on this week, including our annual pumpkin carving party and potluck. I had big plans for exciting decorations, but I did not get any out this weekend as I have a cold. Luckily, I put a few decorations out the previous weekend. Another thankful thing is that Ellie and Kohlton are excited to decorate. They picked up some fun stuff on Sunday and have it all laid out. They spent their evening making cheesecloth ghosts. I will be sure to share a photo or two once we are ready for the party.

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Buttery Sourdough Buns
via: King Arthur Flour

Dough
1/2 cup sourdough starter, fed or unfed
3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 large egg
5 tablespoons soft butter
2/3 cup lukewarm water

Topping
4 tablespoons melted butter, divided
1/4 teaspoon paprika, optional

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 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until it's just about doubled in bulk.

3) Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.

4) Roll and pat the dough into a rough rectangle approximately 12" x 16". Put 2 tablespoons melted butter in a small bowl, and add the paprika, if desired; it's there for color, and accentuates the buns' swirl, but omit it if you wish. Spread the dough with the melted butter.

5) Starting with a long side, roll the dough into a log.

6) Cut the log in 1" slices, using a sharp knife, or a piece of dental floss looped between your fingers.

7) Lightly grease two 8" or 9" round cake pans. Arrange 8 buns in each pan.

8) Cover the pans, and let the buns rise for 60 minutes, until they're noticeably puffy. Don't let these buns rise too long; you want them to have enough rising power left to expand nicely in the oven. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

9) Uncover the pans, and brush each bun with some of the remaining melted butter.

10) Bake the buns for 22 to 25 minutes; they'll color only slightly.

11) Remove the buns from the oven, and turn them out of the pan onto a rack. Brush with any remaining melted butter. Serve hot or warm. To reheat, place the buns on a baking sheet, tent lightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 10 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven.

12) Wrap any leftover buns airtight, and store at room temperature for several days. For longer storage, wrap airtight and freeze.

Yield: 16 buns.

Click here to see the King Arthur Blog entry about this recipe.

nutrition information
Serving Size: 1 bun (53g) Servings Per Batch: 16 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 160 Calories from Fat: 60 Total Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 4.5g Trans Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 30mg Sodium: 190mg Total Carbohydrate: 20g Dietary Fiber: 1g Sugars: 1g Protein: 4g

* The nutrition information provided for this recipe is determined by the ESHA Genesis R&D software program. Substituting any ingredients may change the posted nutrition information.
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