Fennel seed buns

Method

1. Make the sponge starter 24 hours before you make the buns. Put the 225g flour and 160ml water in a mixing bowl, then crumble in the yeast and combine with a wooden spoon to form a firm dough. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave at room temperature for 4 hours, then cover the bowl with cling film and chill overnight.
2. The next day, make the buns: put the 400g flour, salt, yeast, fennel seeds and the sponge starter in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the 260ml warm water with a wooden spoon. To knead using a mixer, turn it to a slow speed for 4 minutes, then turn to a faster speed for 8 minutes. If kneading by hand, use a dough scraper or your hands to pull up the dough and slap it down on itself in the mixing bowl for 20-30 minutes (it’s hard work, so you might want to take turns with a helper). Once the gluten starts to develop, the dough will turn smooth, soft and not so sticky.
3. Tip the dough onto a floured work surface. Shape into a rectangle, then fold it in on itself like a letter – bottom third up, top third down. Cover with a torn plastic bag, then leave to rise for 30 minutes.
4. Shape the dough into a rectangle again, then re-fold it like a letter. Leave for 15 minutes, covered.
5. Next, divide the dough into 10 equal pieces, folding under the edges of each piece and bringing together to form round, domed buns. Rest on a flour-dusted work surface, covered with 1-2 plastic bags, for another 15 minutes.
6. To further shape the buns, gently cup your hand over each one, then, with the palm of your hand not touching the dough, move it in small circles [H] to shape it into a firmer ball. (You don’t want the surface too well dusted. As your hand moves the ball, the dough should catch a little on the work surface, stretching and smoothing the top.) Put the buns on dusted baking sheets with space to expand. Either spray them with a water mister or gently splash with a few drops of water. Cover the buns with the bags, then leave them to prove until doubled in size. 
7. Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7. Once the buns have proved, gently brush with olive oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden, then cool completely on a wire rack. Split each bun in half and fill.