When I first made these buns I couldn’t believe how good they tasted after adding quinoa flakes! Spelt flour is my flour of choice. The dough isn’t as flexible as regular wheat flour dough (due to its lesser gluten content), but it makes up for it with a satisfying nutty flavor. Adding quinoa gives these buns an extra protein boost. This is an extra-nourishing burger bun and you can make it vegan by replacing the egg with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) aquafaba. Aquafaba is the water that has been used to cook chickpeas in. You can use the liquid from a can of cooked chickpeas.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (350 ml) water
- 2 tablespoons (40 g) agave syrup, honey, or maple syrup
- 1 package (2¼ teaspoons, or 7 g) active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (50 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, room temperature (lightly beaten) or 3 tablespoons (45 ml) aquafaba
- 3½ cups (438 g) spelt flour
- 1 cup (102 g) quinoa flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg white (lightly beaten) or olive oil, for glazing
- Sesame seeds or flaxseeds, for topping
How to Make It
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the water until hot. Remove from the heat and let cool to 98°F (37°C).
- Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the agave syrup and yeast. Let the yeast rest in the liquid for 5 minutes, or until frothy.
- Combine the water-yeast mixture with oil and egg.
- Combine the flour, quinoa flakes, and salt in a bowl.
- Pour the liquid into the flour mix and combine into a sticky dough.
- Dust the working surface with flour and knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth. Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover, and let rise for 1½ to 2 hours.
- When the dough has risen in size, punch it down and knead it for a few minutes. Use more flour to dust if needed. Divide the dough into 12 to 18 balls, depending on how large you want your buns. Place the buns on a baking sheet, cover, and let rest for another hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the buns with the egg white mixed with a little water, or brush with olive oil for the glaze. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and sounding hollow when you knock on the surface. Let cool before serving.