Here at King Arthur, we believe that when you're talking hotdogs, the bun is equally (if not more) important as the dog. With this bun, we bring you an ultra-rich, soft bed for your frank, yet something that will hold up to the heaviest of toppings: even mounds of chili and cheese.
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine all of the ingredients, mixing then kneading to make a smooth dough. Let the dough rise, covered, until nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Lightly grease a New England-style hot dog bun pan.
Gently deflate the dough, and stretch it until it's about 15" long and 6" wide. Place the dough into the pan, stretching it to the edges.
Let the dough rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until it comes to within 1/2" of the top of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Grease a baking sheet, and place it on top of the risen buns.
Put the covered buns into the oven, weighing the baking sheet down with something heavy and oven-safe; a cast-iron skillet works well.
Bake the buns for 18 minutes, remove the weighted baking sheet, and bake for 2 to 5 minutes longer, if necessary, to brown the buns.
Remove the pan from the oven, and cool the buns in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn them out onto a rack, rounded side up, to cool completely.
Slice each bun down the middle vertically, without cutting through the bottom; then cut between the buns to separate them.
For extra-moist buns with great keeping power, add 2 tablespoons Cake Enhancer to the recipe.
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