French Bread Hamburger Buns

Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Mix well. In a separate bowl, add oil or softened butter to the water and then pour this mixture over the flour mixture. Allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Add up to 2 1/2 cups of additional flour – adding only enough until you have a soft dough that barely sticks to your fingers. Knead by hand or using a mixer for 4 minutes. Spritz top of dough lightly with oil, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise 1 hour or till double.

Divide dough equally into 8-pieces (3.8 ounce buns) and shape into balls. Place balls on parchment, a Silpat, or a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise another 30 minutes or until almost doubled.

Put an old pie tin or metal dish in the bottom of your oven. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Slash tops of buns, 1/4” deep with a serrated bread or tomato knife. Quickly put the baking sheet of buns in the oven, and throw 1 cup of hot water into the pie tin. Close oven door.

30 seconds later, spritz tops of the rolls with water (using a spray bottle), close door, wait 30 seconds, and repeat spritzing process two more times at 30 second intervals.

Bake for 15-17 minutes rotating pan 180º half way through baking till golden brown.