Nancy's Yum and Crusty Portuguese Buns

Set aside 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour (for your working surface and dusting)

Yeast:

1. In a small bowl, place all purpose flour, sugar, yeast and lukewarm water, stir to combine and set aside for 10 minutes.

Dough:

1. Using your stand mixer and hook attachment, place all purpose flour, salt, melted butter, and activated yeast (that you set aside earlier) in the mixing bowl.
2. Place mixer on a low to medium speed to start mixing the ingredients, and gradually add lukewarm water, and mix for 2 minutes.
3. Stop the mixer after 2 minutes and use a spatula to scrap down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
4. Place mixer on medium speed and let it mix for 5 minutes or until your dough comes together. (The dough will be a little sticky, it’s normal)
5. At this point, once dough is formed, remove dough from stand mixer.
6. In a separate large bowl, dust flour in bowl, form dough into a ball, place the dough in the bowl and cover with tea towel and wait until it doubles in size (approximately 1 hour) (Keep in a warm place)
7. Once dough has doubled in size, dust your working surface with all purpose flour, stretch dough into a log form, and cut into 8 equal pieces of dough.
8. Prepare a baking tray with parchment and dust all purpose flour on the parchment paper.
9. Form 8 equal pieces of dough into a ball form and place the dough balls on the baking tray.
10. Leave 3-4 inches in space between the dough balls on the baking tray to let the dough balls rise.
11. Cover with tea towel for 15 minutes to let the dough balls rest.
12. After 15 minutes, remove tea towel, and lightly dust all purpose flour on the dough balls, and use a wooden dowel to make an indent on the center of each dough ball. (Make sure you dust the wooden dowel to avoid the dowel from sticking to the dough)
13. Place tea towel to cover the dough balls and let it rise for 30 minutes.
14. Preheat your oven to 450F or 230C.
15. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown in the middle rack (keep your eye on it) .
16. Remove from oven and enjoy with some butter.

Recipe & Photo Credit: DIYwithnancyg