Easy Homemade Ciabatta Burger Buns Recipe

A great homemade burger deserves an equally great hamburger bun. When store bought, plastic bag burger buns just won't suffice, try this easy recipe for homemade Ciabatta hamburger rolls. Ciabatta burger rolls offer the flavor and texture of rustic Italian bread.

This easy recipe for homemade Ciabatta hamburger rolls calls for just 5 minutes of prep work. The day before your BBQ or picnic, you'll combine the ingredients and set aside. The next day, you'll need about 10 minutes to turn out the Ciabatta dough and shape into individual burger rolls. The recipe yields eight large Ciabatta hamburger rolls with a light and moist crumb, slightly chewy texture and thin, crisp crust.

Easy Homemade Ciabatta Burger Buns Recipe

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
2 cups warm water, spring water or filtered
2 teaspoons wheat gluten
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
Cornmeal (for dusting)
5-6 ice cubes

Directions:

Pour the warm water into a small bowl, stir in the sugar until disolved, then sprinkle surface of the water with yeast.

In the work bowl of your standing mixer, combine the flour, sea salt and wheat gluten. Attach the dough hook to the mixer and set speed to lowest setting. Add in the warm water and yeast mixture.

Mix to combine, increasing speed to #2 setting. Mixture will form a thick, wet, batter-like dough. Using a silicone spatula, scrape down the sides of the work bowl as needed. Be careful not to overwork the dough. Ciabatta dough will resemble an extremely thick cake batter.

Cover the top of the work bowl with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Set the Ciabatta dough aside in a secure location that's free from drafts. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature, undisturbed for 8-12 hours.

Check to see that the dough has doubled in size. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper and lightly dust with cornmeal.

Using a silicone spatula, gently scrape down the sides of the work bowl then fold the dough over on itself 5-6 times. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough in half then split each half in two. Cut each of the four pieces in half again to yield eight equally sized pieces of Ciabatta dough.

Coat hands liberally with flour. Pressing down gently, roll and shape each piece of Ciabatta dough into a rounded ball shape. Transfer the dough for each hamburger roll to the prepared baking sheet, spacing well. For a rustic, artisan finish, dust the top of each roll with a little flour or yellow cornmeal.

Place the baking sheet with the Ciabatta burger rolls into preheated oven on the middle rack. Quickly toss the ice cubes onto the interior floor of the oven. Close oven door and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until burger buns are light golden brown on top.

*Note: If using a pizza stone in your oven, place the shaped dough for the Ciabatta rolls onto the reverse flat side of a parchment-lined sheet pan. To make the transfer, carefully slide the Ciabatta burger rolls along with the parchment paper from the sheet pan, directly onto the hot stone.

When done, remove baked hamburger rolls from the oven and set aside. After 5 minutes, use a spatula to transfer the Ciabatta burger rolls to a wire rack. Allow burger buns to cool for at least 20 minutes before splitting.

Homemade Ciabatta buns are full-sized and perfect for filling with thick, juicy BBQ burgers and the toppings of your choice. For a bit extra crunch, grill your Ciabatta burger buns, split side down. Quickly remove and transfer burger buns to a serving plate as soon as grill marks form.

For a uniquely flavored, gourmet-style Ciabatta burger, try the following recipe: Spread a tablespoon of mayonnaise on the bottom half of a grilled, homemade Ciabatta hamburger bun then top with fresh cracked black pepper. Place your burger or cheeseburger on top and add desired toppings. Cap the burger with the other half of your grilled hamburger roll and allow to rest at room temperature for 2-3 minutes before serving.

As with all artisan breads, Ciabatta hamburger rolls taste best when eaten fresh, on the same day they are baked. Leftover homemade Ciabatta rolls make for full-bodied, flavorful cheeseburger panini sandwiches. The following recipe calls for day-old Ciabatta buns and leftover hamburger patties.

Brush the bottom of your homemade Ciabatta hamburger bun with extra virgin olive oil and set brushed side down on a hot panini grill. Top with thin, grilled beef patties and your choice of mushrooms, grilled onions and roasted red peppers, then top with provolone cheese. Cap with the Ciabatta roll top, then brush with more olive oil. Grill the Ciabatta burgers on a hot panini press until the cheese melts, grill marks form and buns are just beginning to crisp.

Allow burger paninis to rest at room temperature for 2-3 minutes and serve hot.