Sea salt buns for lunch

Ingredients:

Buns

• Basic bun dough, recipe below
• Cooking spray for baking sheets
• Premium flour for working with dough
• 60 g melted unsalted butter, for greasing
• Sea salt flakes, for sprinkling

Basic bun dough

• 0.5 cups whole milk
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 7 g active dry yeast
• 4 and 1/4 – 4.5 cups premium flour
• 90 g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1.5 tsp coarse salt
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Additives (herbs, spices or cheese)
• Vegetable oil or cooking spray to grease the bowl

Preparation:

1. Mix a basic bun dough without any additives. Let it rise as directed in the recipe. Lightly spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Dust the surface with flour and shape it into a rectangle. Using a bench scraper or a chef's knife, cut the dough into 24 equal pieces.
2. Carefully roll each piece of dough into a ball and place on the prepared baking sheets. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for about 45 minutes.
3. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
4. Brush the buns with melted butter and use a knife or scissors to cut a small cross into the surface of each bun. Sprinkle with sea salt.
5. Bake, rotating the baking sheets, until the buns are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then brush with the remaining melted butter. Transfer the buns to a wire rack to cool completely.
   
   

   Basic bun dough

   
   Place the milk and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan or bowl and microwave until very warm, but not hot (110°F/43°C). Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment; stir in the sugar, yeast, and 1 cup flour and knead into a lumpy dough. Let stand until bubbly, about 30 minutes.
   
   Add the butter, salt, and 2 cups flour and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add 1 1/4 cups flour and any extra flour, if using; mix until the dough is smooth and begins to come together, about 4 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky; if it's too wet, add the remaining 1/4 cup flour.
   
   Lightly oil a large bowl; transfer the dough to the bowl and turn it over to coat with oil on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

6. Chef's Notes

   
   Check the yeast label. Make sure you're using the type of yeast specified in the recipe. Active dry yeast is not interchangeable with rapid-rise yeast.
   
   Use a thermometer. Don't guess the liquid's temperature. It must be at least 43°C (111°F) to activate the yeast.
   
   Keep an eye on the dough. Rising time may vary depending on the temperature in your kitchen. Follow the recipe's instructions for rising and evaluate the dough visually.