These everything bagel buns are great to eat on the run--or with one hand as you gulp your coffee at your desk. The buns have all the benefits of sourdough, including a mild tangy taste, and are dense without being heavy. Filled with a bite of cream cheese, which intensifies the sourdough tang, the buns need no more adornment before eating. Nonetheless, the everything bagel seasoning really adds flavor--a little salty, a little seedy, a little oniony--all the goodness of the seasoning. I like to bake a batch of the buns when I feed my sourdough starter. Then, in the mornings, I reheat a bagel bun in my air fryer for a few minutes. The buns are warm and the cream cheese softens nicely. The bagel buns also are great to share--when the post COVID time comes--and are less hassle than regular bagels to take to the office, book club, knitting group, church, etc., because no extra cream cheese or accoutrements are required. Enjoy!
Sourdough Everything Bagel Buns -- Makes 8
1 cup of starter/discard
1/4 cup of canola oil
1 large egg
2 tablespoons of sugar
1/4 cup of water
3/4 cup of whole-wheat flour
1 cup of all-purpose flour, plus 1/4-1/3 up for kneading
1 teaspoon of salt
4 ounces (half a block) of cream cheese (cut into 8 bits)
2 tablespoons of everything bagel seasoning
In a large bowl, mix the sourdough starter/discard, oil, egg, sugar, water, and 3/4 cup of whole-wheat flour together well. Lightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set the mixture aside for at least an hour. I usually mix the ingredients in the morning and return to them at lunch time of a little after.
When you're ready, add to the dough mixture the 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour and the salt. Knead the dough in the bowl or on the counter for 3-5 minutes, adding in 1/4-1/3 cup of additional flour as necessary if the dough seems sticky. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Cut the cream cheese into eight roughly equal pieces. With damp hands (it's best to keep a bowl of water nearby to keep your hands moistened), divide the dough into eight roughly equal pieces. Pick up a piece of dough, make an indentation in the dough with your fingers, and place a piece of cream cheese into the indentation. Squish/roll the dough around to cover the cream cheese--like you are making a nice round mud pie or ball! Place the dough round/ball on the baking sheet and flatten it just a bit with your hand (you don't want it to roll off the baking sheet when you slide the sheet into the oven). Repeat the squishing/rolling process with the remaining dough and cream cheese, dampening your hands as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking to them. Place the dough balls/mounds about two inches apart on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops of each of the mounds with a little of the everything bagel seasoning.
Let the dough mounds rise for two to four hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. The mounds should increase in size by only about one-third (i.e., not all that much). Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake the buns for 15-20 minutes or until puffed, light golden brown, and just firm to the touch. Let the buns cool at least 10 minutes before serving them. The buns are great re-warmed in an air fryer.
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