SMALL HOT DOGS AND BUNS RECIPES

Steps:

• Combine the water and milk in a medium saucepan and warm over low heat until about 100 degrees F (but no more than 110 degrees). Remove from heat and sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of sugar and flour over the surface of the liquid. Set aside without stirring, until foamy and rising up the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.
• Whisk the butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture.
• Whisk the flour, the remaining sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and stir in the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon to make a thick, shaggy, and slightly sticky dough. Stir in currants. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 8 minutes. Shape into a ball.
• Brush the inside of a large bowl with butter. Put dough in bowl, turning to coat lightly with butter. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes. (If you have a marker, trace a circle the size of the dough on the plastic, and note the time to help you keep track.)
• To form the rolls: Butter a 9 by 14-inch baking pan. Turn the dough out of the bowl and pat into a rectangle about 16 by 8 inches. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, about 2 ounces each, with a pizza wheel or bench scraper. (If you don't have a scale, divide the dough in half lengthwise, then in half crosswise. Cut each of those four sections into 3 equal-sized rolls.)
• Tuck the edges of the dough under to make round rolls and place them seam-side down in the prepared pan, leaving a little space in between each roll. Cover the pan with buttered plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the rolls rise almost to the rim of the pan and have more than doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the plastic wrap and brush the tops of the buns with beaten egg. Bake rolls until golden brown and puffy, and an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the rolls registers 190 degrees F, about 25 minutes.
• For the glaze: Stir together confectioners' sugar, milk, lemon zest and vanilla until smooth. Transfer icing to a zip bag or pastry bag, and make a small cut in the corner of the bag. Ice buns in a thick cross shape over the top of the warm buns.

Steps:

• Before grinding, ensure the meat and fat are very cold. Send the meat through the grinder using a large plate, and then a second time using a fine die. Pause in between grinding to chill the meat if needed to avoid smearing. After the second round of grinding, cool the meat in the freezer.
• Transfer the meat to a food processor or mixer and add the spices and ice. Pulse or mix until thoroughly emulsified. The mixture should turn into a ball of tacky paste.
• If the casings are dried, soak them in freshwater to soften for about 30 minutes before stuffing. While the intestines soak, set up your sausage stuffer. Try lubricating the feeding tube and inner cannister by sprinkling it with cold water so the meat won’t stick. Thread the casing onto the stuffing tube and tie a knot at the end.
• Evenly stuff the sausage into the casing. As you go, use a needle to prick a small hole in any air bubbles. Once all the sausage is inside the casing, begin to pinch off links in roughly 6-inch increments: starting with the first one, twisting, and then moving 6 inches down the line. Continue pinching and twisting off every other link so as not to undo the previous link.
• To cook, you can gently poach the links in simmering water, grill over high heat, or smoke the hot dogs at 225 degrees until they’re cooked through to an internal temperature of 155 degrees. If you plan to grill or smoke, the texture will improve if allowed to rest for a day or two in the refrigerator.
• Before serving, steam the buns with water, baste the top sides with butter or oil and sprinkle with poppyseeds to coat. Wrap the bread inside parchment paper and bake for a few minutes until soft, or set inside of a microwave for 30-60 seconds.
• Serve the hot dogs inside of the poppyseed buns layered with all of the suggested toppings.