Nothing is more fulfilling than to make a whole burger from scratch! Yes! That includes making this scrumptious soft and fluffy burger buns down to the salad and dressings! The fried chicken in this burger is just insanely delicious and my man will concur because he finished two in a swooooosh!
The burger bun is made from the Tang Zhong method that help keeps the buns soft even after a few days! To learn more about Tang Zhong Bread, you can visit my post on Shokupan Bread Loaf. The other thing good about these buns is that they are actually so easy and quick to make that you can prepare them and have the buns baked and ready for your burger on the same day.
If things are not already dainty with the ultimate delicious burger bun, the fried chicken in this recipe is a sure keeper too. Mildly spiced and utterly crispy and the trick to it is by adding corn flour to the frying flour mixture. The corn flour helps absorbs most of the moisture from the chicken and the oil and this keeps it from going soggy when frying.
If you want the chicken to be well flavoured, consider marinating and leave them in the fridge overnight.
I have made this burger so many times and it seriously never disappoint.
RECIPE
Yields: 4 x burgers
Preparation Time: 2 hours, Prepare for an overnight chicken marinate ahead of time.
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Milk Bread Burger Buns
This recipe makes 4 x large buns
Tang Zhong
35 g 12% Milk
7 g 4% Baker's Flour
Final Dough
255 g 96% Baker's Flour (12% Protein) 80 g 30% Full Cream milk 3 g 1.1% Fine sea salt 5 g 1.5% Instant Yeast 20 g 7.6% Caster sugar 30g 11% Unsalted butter, room temperature 50 g 19% Large eggs (1 Large Eggs)
Fried Chicken
Chicken Marinate
2 Chicken breasts 375 ml Buttermilk 30 ml Hot sauce 1 tbsp Paprika Powder 1/2 tbsp Cayenne powder 2 tbsp Minced Garlic 1 tsp. Mustard Seeds 1/4 tbsp Ground black pepper 1/2 tbsp Sea Salt Flakes
Frying Flour Mixture
100 g Plain flour 25g Cornflour
1 tbsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 tbsp. Salt
2 tsp. Pepper
Korean spicy Sauce
3 tbsp Brown sugar
2 tbsp Korean chilli paste (gochujang)
2 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Minced Garlic
2 tsp Sesame oil
Chilli Slaw
150 g Iceberg lettuce, sliced
1 tsp Caster Sugar
1 tsp Grated Ginger
1 tbsp Minced Garlic
2 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise
½ tsp Chilli powder
Method
The day before or several hours prior
Prepare the chicken marinate by mixing all the ingredients together. Cut the chicken breast to even individual sizes that is around half your palm size then toss them into the buttermilk mixture. Divide the chicken with its marinate into a zip lock bag or a container and cover to marinate overnight in the fridge.
Note: If the chicken breast is particularly thick, slice them horizontally in half and ensure that they are all even in thickness. Alternatively, you can place the chicken breast between cling film and pound them flat.
The next day
Prepare the dough
1. Start by making the Tang Zhong. Place the milk and flour into a small saucepan over medium heat and keep whisking until it starts to thicken to a paste. This process will not take long at all, so don't walk away from it since it is a very small amount. Once the Tang Zhong is ready, place into a clean bowl and wrap with a cling film touching the surface and leave to cool completely.
2. Once the Tang Zhong have cooled, prepare the Final dough. Gently heat the milk in the microwave and bring it to 35°C. Sprinkle a pinch of sugar into the milk then whisk in the instant yeast. Leave at room temperature for approximately 10 to 20 minutes until it becomes frothy.
3. In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook attachment place the flour, salt and sugar and mix slightly to combine. Add in the eggs and milk/yeast mixture and continue to mix on low speed until they come together to form in to a dough. Scrape down the side and the bottom of the bowl if necessary.
Add in the room temperature butter and continue to mix for approximately 12 to 15 minutes at medium speed, scraping the side and base of the bowl when necessary. When the dough is ready, it should start to pull clean away from the side of the bowl and feels pliable. If you pinch a small piece of the dough and gently stretch it between your two hands, you should be able to stretch it thin enough to see through. This is an indication that you have developed enough gluten and the dough is ready to be shaped and to be bulk ferment.
4. Lightly dust your work surface with some flour then transfer the dough over. Roll the dough to a semi tight ball then place it into a lightly greased bowl large enough for it to double in size then cover the bowl with a slightly damp tea towel. Leave to bulk ferment at room temperature. This will take approximately 1 to 2 hours depending on the ambient of your kitchen.
5. When the dough have doubled in size, knock back the dough by pressing gently in to the dough to release some of the excess gas and divide into 4 equal sized portions of approximately 110 g each. Working with one or two dough at a time, fold all corners of the dough to the centre then turning the folded sides facing down onto the bench top, curve your palm slightly around the side of dough, then roll the dough to a smooth ball, tightening it slightly. Continue this process until you have rolled all of the doughs.
Place the burger buns on to baking tray lined with parchment paper then cover with a damp tea towel and leave for 20 minutes to 45 minutes (depending on the ambient of your kitchen) until the buns rises slightly again and feels airy when you gently try to move it.
Meanwhile, pre heat the oven to 170 °C.
6. When the buns are ready, prepare the egg wash by whisking the eggs and milk together then gently brush the top of each buns. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds (optional). Do not over brush the buns with the egg wash as this can cause them to darken too much before the interior are fully baked. Just a gentle brush on the top and sides.
Place the tray into the pre heated oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes or when the top starts to turn golden brown in colour. If you are unsure if the buns are fully cooked on the inside, probe the thermometer into one of the buns from the sides and it should read at least 90°C / 310°F.
Remove the baked burger buns from the oven and transfer onto a wire rack to cool. Don't leave breads cooling on a hot tray as this can cause the base of the buns to retain the steam and become soggy.
For the Fry the chicken
Mix the all the ingredients for the frying mixture together then spread them out onto a flat tray.
Remove the chicken from the fridge and place the marinated chicken onto the flour mixture to coat on each side. Discard the rest of the excess marinate.
Meanwhile, pre heat the frying oil in a deep saucepan and bring to 175°C - 180°C and continue to maintain this temperature throughout the frying process.
Tap out the excess flour from the chicken then fry the chicken until they turn crispy and golden in colour. Once the chicken are ready, transfer with a thong on to a grease proof paper to absorb the excess oil. Place the fried chicken in a low heated oven to keep warm while you prepare the rest of the component.
For the Korean Spicy Sauce
Mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
For the Spicy Slaw
Mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
Assembly
Slice the burger bun in to halves horizontally. Place a spoonful of butter onto a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter have half melted, place the buns with the cut side down on to the melted butter to absorb all of the butter and continue to heat until they are toasted and crispy.
Once the burger buns are ready, place a few tablespoon of the chilli slaw on the flat side of the bun then top with the fried chicken and finish off with the Korean spicy sauce. Enjoy!!
