Burger Buns (Vegan)


It would be impossible for me to even try to describe how delicious these homemade buns are. From my point of view, these are the perfect burger buns; they taste amazing and smell absolutely divine, they have a tender, flavorful crust and an elastic, pillowy center. Even though I’m not the typical ‘bread on every meal’ kind of person, I cannot stop at just one bun. These guys are so delicious that I cannot imagine a person who could stop after just one piece. They are simply exquisite. And I just have to tell you a tiny secret: they are vegan. Over and out.

Ingredients (for 20 buns):

  • 450g all-purpose flour + extra 50g for kneading
  • 120ml water
  • 120ml vegan milk (I used almond milk)
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 satchel active dry yeast
  • egg substitute: 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds + 3 Tbsp water

for the garnish:

  • 2 Tbsp vegan milk
  • ½ brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Method:

  1. Egg substitute. Grind the flax seeds using a mortar and pestle. Add 3 Tbsp of water and leave aside for 5 minutes.
  2. Activate the yeast. Heat the water and the milk in a small saucepan until lukewarm (36 – 38°C). Add the sugar and the yeast and leave aside for 5 minutes. The mixture should be frothy.
  3. Sift the flour. In a large bowl sift the flour and make a well in the center. Add the oil, flax seed mixture and yeast mixture and mix with a fork.
  4. Add the salt. Add the salt and continue mixing with your hands until you form a sticky ball.
  5. Knead the dough. Bring the sticky dough on a floured working surface and knead it for 10 minutes. Use a dough scraper to knead the ball.
  6. Proof. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with cling film and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
  7. Form the buns. Heat the oven at 400°F/204°C (gas mark 6). After 1 hour, place the dough back on the working surface and knead vigorously to knock out the air bubbles. Divide dough into 20 pieces and shape them into 20 balls (I had 20 balls x 40g).
  8. Rise. Place them on a tray lined with parchment paper and let them rise for about 30 minutes.
  9. Garnish. Mix the milk with the sugar, heat the liquid slightly and give them a quick wash. Sprinkle some black sesame seeds.
  10. Bake. Bake them in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden. Let them cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Source: www.thehealthyfamilyandhome.com



Homemade Naan

Naan is an oven baked flatbread made with yeast. These flatbreads are by far my favorite kind of flatbread. They are so easy to make, the ingredients are always in my pantry, they look so adorable, but also these beauties are extremely delicious. This flatbread is so elastic, soft and airy, with a lovely buttery and toasted sesame seed flavor. It is such a rustic bread and yet so sophisticated. The technique is quite simple and the active part takes no more than 20 minutes. The passive part, the part when the dough rests or rises is the most challenging part, if you will. It takes about 2 hours to rise, so this recipe isn’t the most suitable if you are in a hurry. But if you have some time to spare, trust me, the result is so rewarding and surely it is worth waiting every minute. Continue reading Homemade Naan

Stuffed Olives, Cherry Tomatoes and Zucchini Rolls Skewers

SkewerOliveCrispy oliveslimonadeMint limonade

If you’ve never tasted crispy stuffed olives, I strongly suggest you to give them a try. They are so easy to prepare and they make such an elegant appetizer or even a picnic treat, or you can eat them in the middle of the night, standing in front of the fridge and scaring the family dog (true story, unfortunately). I stuffed my olives with cream cheese, black sesame seed and chives and I paired them with fresh cherry tomatoes and Pecorino Romano flavored zucchini rolls. Continue reading Stuffed Olives, Cherry Tomatoes and Zucchini Rolls Skewers