Cheesy Buns

THE DOUGH - WET & DRY INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup (minus 2 tablespoons) warm water
• 1/3 cup Dry Powdered Milk
• 1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk – slightly beaten
• 2-1/2 cups Bread Flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 teaspoons Rapid Rise yeast
• 1 heaping teaspoon Diastatic Malt Powder (optional, I order through King Arthur)

1. Combine oil, honey, water, powdered milk and stir together. Stir in egg and set aside.
2. In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the dry ingredients. Turn mixer on low and slowly add the wet ingredients. Increase the speed to medium as the dough starts to come together.
3. Mix until the dough is soft and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, stopping periodically to scrap the dough off the hook. Add more flour if needed.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times. Form into a round, place back in the work bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size.
5. Punch down and knead 2-3 minutes (dough will be soft, smooth and elastic by now), cover let rest for ½ hour…relaxing the dough makes it easier when shaping the rounds.

THE DOUGH - SHAPING, BAKING & MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS NEEDED

• Butter cooking spray
• 9 x 13 Pyrex
• 12 ozs. cheese of your choice to top the buns; set aside until ready to bake.

1. Shape into rounds - approx. 3-1/2 oz. of dough will make 6 large buns. Gently stretch the dough and let it rest a few times until easy to flatten into a 4 inch bun size.
2. Spray a large Pyrex dish with buttery cooking spray, add the dough rounds, leaving space between the edges of pan and each row of dough rounds.
3. Spray tops with buttery cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap. Rise until doubled.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
5. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes – NOTE: after 15 minutes of cooking has gone by; add 2 tablespoons of the cheddar cheese over the top of each bun.
6. Once out of the oven, leave in the Pyrex for about 15 minutes; take a spatula around the edges of to prevent any of the melted cheese from sticking.
7. Remove to a rack and cool at least 1 hour before splitting.