Burger Buns

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  One hour before preparation, take all the ingredients out to the counter to reach room temperature, making the dough easier to work with.
• 2
  Sift the flour into a large bowl, make a well in the center, and prepare the yeast starter. Pour lukewarm milk into the well (The milk must be lukewarm, not hot. Its temperature should not exceed 40 °C. High temperature could kill the yeast, and the starter would not rise.), add 1 teaspoon of sugar, and crumble in the yeast. Use a plastic or wooden spoon to mix a little surrounding flour into the milk, sugar, yeast, and flour to create a thicker batter. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the starter rise for 15 minutes.
• 3
  While the starter is rising, peel the carrot and grate it finely (The carrot will be added to the dough. Its juiciness ensures the buns are sufficiently moist.).
• 4
  Place the kneaded dough in a bowl greased with olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 1 hour.
• 5
  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• 6
  Divide the risen dough into 7 equal parts. Shape 6 of them into regular buns and place them on the prepared baking sheet, letting them rise for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, divide the remaining piece into 18 equal parts. Shape each into a small ball and then flatten it into a thin disc. Use some of the discs as noses (Brush the bottom with beaten egg and press them onto the bun.). Fold the remaining discs at the bottom to form ears and press them into the bun (The best way is to make two holes in the bun where you will place the ears. Brush the holes with beaten egg and insert the ears. You can press them into the holes with a skewer.).
• 7
  Once the starter has risen, sprinkle salt on the edge of the flour (Salt is added now to give the starter ideal conditions for rising. It doesn't always get along well with salt.). Add the grated carrot to the bowl. Then add the egg, pour in 130 ml of water, and olive oil. Mix everything with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are combined, then transfer the contents of the bowl to a work surface and knead until you have a smooth, compact dough. (If you have a kitchen mixer, let it do the work; if not, you can knead the dough by hand. The dough will initially seem sticky, but resist the temptation to add flour, as it would not benefit the dough and the buns would not be as moist. Knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes; if it still seems sticky after this time, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest on the counter for a few minutes. During this time, the gluten in the flour will activate and absorb all possible liquid. After resting, the dough should no longer be as sticky, so knead it again into a compact ball. Sometimes it helps to lightly oil your hands.).
• 8
  Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
• 9
  Thoroughly brush the risen buns with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Then bake them in the oven preheated to 200 °C for about 15 minutes.
• 10
  Decorate the baked buns with eyes made from a slice of cheese and blueberries.