It is with a heavy heart that I share this with you. My buns were a complete and utter failure. They look like dog biscuits and taste like dust. But, I need to share it with you and beg for help.
HELP!
It began innocently. The saurkraut looks like it is ready to eat, and John picked up some nitrate/nitrite free hot dogs up to try them with. I just kneeeewww (sense the sarcasm?) that I could make the buns, so he didn't get them. Sigh. If I only knew. I grabbed
this recipe and thought, "Hmm... Easy and Perfect? GREAT!"
First, John melted down 1 cup raw milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, and 1 T honey.
While it cooled down to 120*, I mixed 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1.25 t yeast, and 1 1/2 t salt.
When the liquid was cooled, an egg was beaten in.
Then it was all combined.
I added another cup of flour as I mixed it.
I rolled it out and cut it into 16 dog-sized pieces.
Each piece was shaped into a bun-type shape.
So far so good, right? Well. It never rose. At all. I know the yeast was good, because as I was making this, I used more of the yeast for another loaf of bread (which actually worked really well). Our house is cold, so I had it in the oven that had been preheated for a minute and then I left the light on. I waited a LONG time, and it never changed. I baked it anyway, hoping for a little oven spring.
Nothing. They still look like this, only a little darker. We both had a bite, and couldn't even choke them down.
So, I ask you:
1) What do we do with them? Breadcrumbs? Any other ideas?
