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image of turmeric buns that are pullapart buns and one is taken out

Turmeric Corn Sourdough Buns

These are happy, bright & buttery pillows! They put a pep in your step with their amount of fluff and natural bright coloring (thanks to turmeric and cornmeal)...they're the showstoppers you need in your life.
Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 day
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Indian
Servings 7 buns
Calories 256 kcal

Equipment

  • 9-inch circular cake pan or pie pan

Ingredients
  

Levain

  • 80g mature sourdough starter
  • 100g water
  • 100g bread flour

Soaker

  • 80g cornmeal
  • 140g water
  • 14g salt

Dough

  • all the levain
  • all the soaker
  • 90g water
  • 110g all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 60g brown sugar
  • 70g or 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)

Egg wash

  • 1 egg

Instructions
 

  • The night before, combine the levain by mixing thoroughly with a fork, then cover it lightly. Combine the soaker separately by stirring, then cover it. Let sit overnight (10-12 hours) at room temperature.
  • Place all the dough ingredients except for the butter in a large glass bowl or container. Combine with your hands by squeezing until only a few dry streaks are left. Slice the butter into a bunch of thin squares and add them to the dough. Squeeze the dough together with your hands, pinching the butter into the dough until the dough comes together thoroughly. There may be some small noticeable yellow butter patches but they can be left alone. Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel. Let rest for 30 minutes in a warm place.
  • Stretch & fold the dough, pulling all four sides over itself. Let sit for one hour.
  • Stretch & fold the dough again. Repeat twice more (stretching & folding again in another hour and also in 2 hours). Let sit for 3 hours after the third stretch & fold.
  • Lightly grease a 9-inch circular cake pan or pie pan. Oil your hands as well as a surface to work on. Divide the dough into 7 sections (around 160 grams each) and roll into balls. I do this by folding the dough’s corners over themselves, pinching the ends together and gently rolling the bottom on the work surface. Place the rougher side down in the pan, laying out one in the center and six surrounding it. They will have a little space between them that will fill out when they rise.
  • Let proof for 1-2 hours, preheating the oven to 350°F when they’re nearing the top of the pan. When the oven is preheated and the buns are puffy and close to the top of the pan, whisk the egg in a small bowl. Brush the tops of the buns gently with egg wash, being careful not to over-wash the outer sides of the buns (so egg wash doesn’t drip down into the inner edges of the pan).
  • Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 195°F.
  • Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan then serve.

Notes

I happen to be a bit of a rebel and love a good odd number but if you prefer an even number of buns, divide the dough into 140g/bun and place 7 buns on the outside rim and 1 in the middle.
When you make your levain, your sourdough starter should be recently fed/at peak and 100% hydration.