Can I make the dough ahead of time?

You can! Let it rise once, then pop it in the fridge overnight. Bring it back to room temp before shaping and the second rise.

My dough’s not rising, what’s going on?

Check your yeast’s still alive (should foam when mixed with warm buttermilk and sugar), and make sure the dough’s in a warm, draft-free spot.

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Potato Buns

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Potato Buns

Ingredient Notes

Potatoes:

Use a floury variety such as Sebago, Desiree or Russet. Floury potatoes break down to a dry, fluffy mash which adds starch to the dough without too much extra liquid. Waxy potatoes like Kipfler or Dutch Cream are too wet and hold too much moisture, which can throw off the dough hydration and make it sticky and difficult to work with. After draining, return the potatoes to the hot pot and let them steam dry for a minute or two over low heat before mashing. This removes excess water and gives you a more consistent result.

Buttermilk:

Buttermilk adds acidity to the dough which slightly tightens the gluten structure and gives extra tenderness to the finished crumb. It also contributes a very faint tang that works well in a bun meant for something savoury. If you don’t have buttermilk, make a quick substitute: add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of full-cream milk, stir, and leave for 5 minutes until it curdles slightly. Use straight away.

Bread flour:

Bread flour has a higher protein content than plain flour, typically around 11 to 13 percent, which develops more gluten during kneading. More gluten means a stronger dough structure, a slightly chewier crumb and buns that hold their shape under a heavy filling without going soggy or collapsing. Plain flour will work if that’s what you have, but the texture will be softer and less structured. For burger buns specifically, bread flour gives a noticeably better result.