Fresh Lemon Buns Recipes

LEMON SWEET ROLLS

Steps:

• Set aside 1/2 cup of flour. In a large bowl, toss the 2 and 1/4 cups flour, the sugar, salt, and yeast together until evenly dispersed. Set aside.
• Heat the water, milk, and butter together in the microwave until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot to touch. About 115°F (46°C). Stir the butter mixture into the flour mixture. Add the egg and only enough of the reserved flour to make a soft dough. I only needed 1/3 cup, but you may need the full 1/2 cup. Dough will be ready when it gently pulls away from the side of the bowl and has an elastic consistency.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about 3-4 minutes. Place in a lightly greased bowl (I used non-stick spray) and let rest for about 10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla. Stir it around until the mixture becomes sandy. Some juices may be excreted from the lemon zest; that's ok.
• After the dough has sat for 10 minutes, roll it out into a 14×8 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Spread the softened butter on top. Sprinkle the lemon sugar filling all over. Roll up the dough tightly. Cut into 11-12 even pieces and place in a lightly greased 9-inch round pan. I used a pie dish, lightly sprayed with nonstick spray. Sprinkle uncooked rolls with additional lemon zest at this point, if desired.
• Loosely cover the rolls with aluminum foil and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 60-90 minutes. Here is what I do: heat the oven to 200°F (93°C). Turn oven off. Place rolls inside oven and allow to rise.
• After the rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned. I covered the rolls with aluminum foil after 15 minutes to avoid heavy browning.
• Right before serving, top your sweet rolls with the cream cheese frosting. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and beat on medium-high until creamy. Frost warm rolls and sprinkle with additional lemon zest, if desired.
• Rolls are best enjoyed the same day, but stay fresh and soft in a covered container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 5 days. Rolls (with or without frosting) freeze well, up to about 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and heat up however you prefer.

FRESH LEMON BUNS

Steps:

• In large bowl of electric mixer, combine water and milk powder, stir until dissolved.
• Sprinkle yeast over warm water and add 1 teaspoon of sugar.
• Let sit until yeast bubbles. Add egg and egg yolk, additional 1/3 cup of sugar, melted butter, vanilla and salt.
• Mix on low speed until ingredients are incorporated.
• Add 3 cups of the flour. Mix well on low speed for about 2-3 minutes.
• Increase speed of mixer for 2 minutes at medium speed.
• Add 1 cup more flour; mix on low speed.
• Add about 1/4 cup flour at a time until dough loses its shiny appearance and is no longer sticky. *see note about flour.
• Scrape dough off sides of bowl.
• Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in warm place until double in size, about one hour.
• After dough has risen, sprinkle cutting board or counter with flour and place dough on floured surface.
• Roll out dough into a large rectangle, about 25 long x 8-10 inches wide.
• Mix the filing in a small bowl with a fork or spoon until smooth. Spread filing evenly onto rolled out dough.
• Roll the dough up as you would for cinnamon rolls. Use a sharp knife to cut off one inch pieces of the dough.
• Place the buns on a parchment lined or well greased cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. If you want the buns to have soft sides, place close together (about 1 inch apart). If you would like the buns to have a pronounced edge, without touching another roll, place no more than three to a row, with about 2-3 inches in between buns, you will need two baking sheets for this.
• Let rise in warm place until rolls are double in size (about 1 hour).
• Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden on center rack of oven. Or if baking using a convection setting 350 for about 10 minutes.
• Make the glaze by whisking the ingredients in a small bowl.
• Remove buns when done, let cool for at least 15 minutes and drizzle glaze onto buns with a spoon. You may also spoon glaze into a small ziplock bag, squeeze glaze to bottom of bag. Snip off a small end of the bag and force glaze out of small opening onto buns.

LEMON SWEET ROLLS WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

Steps:

• Make the dough: Combine the yeast, buttermilk and 1 tablespoon sugar and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Add the butter, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, lemon zest, salt and cardamom to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low to combine. Add the eggs and buttermilk mixture, and stir until combined.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add 4 cups/510 grams of the flour and stir until all of the flour is moistened. Switch to the dough hook, and mix for 5 more minutes. The dough will be soft and billowy, and it will stick to the bottom of the bowl. Add more flour if the dough seems very, very soft.
• Transfer the dough to a fresh, lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough to coat it with oil, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Alternately, refrigerate the dough before rising for up to 24 hours and proceed with the recipe as written. The rolls may need a slightly longer second rise.
• Make the filling: Combine the sugar, lemon zest, cardamom and a pinch of salt. Use your fingers to rub the lemon zest into the sugar.
• Assemble the rolls: Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and butter the pan and paper. Gently deflate the dough by folding it over itself a few times in the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat or roll it into a rectangle about 12-by-16-inches and 1/4-inch thick. Gently spread the soft butter over the dough, and sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the top. Roll the dough into a tight log and use a serrated knife or length of floss to cut the log into 12 even pieces.
• Place the rolls into the prepared pan, cover, and let rise again until doubled in size, about 1 hour. You can also refrigerate the rolls before the second rise for up to 24 hours, if you'd like to bake them later. Let the rolls rise at room temperature until doubled in size before baking.
• Finish the rolls: Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the rolls are golden and cooked through. While the rolls are baking, make the icing: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. The icing should be quite thick, but spreadable. Add a little more lemon juice if necessary.
• Let the rolls cool for about 5 minutes, then spread the icing over the top. Enjoy warm.

LEMON-POPPY SEED ROLLS

Steps:

• Make the dough: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat until warm but not hot, about 100˚ F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Whisk the melted butter, egg yolks and vanilla into the milk-yeast mixture, then pour into the well and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together into a wet shaggy dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead, dusting with flour as needed, until the dough comes together into a loose, slightly sticky ball, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a buttered bowl, turning to coat. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Mash the poppy seed filling with the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt in a small bowl with a fork until combined; set aside.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface; pat and roll out into a 10-by-18-inch rectangle. Spread the filling over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on one long side. Brush the clean edge with water, then tightly roll up the dough into a log, starting with a long side and rolling toward the clean edge; pinch the seam to seal.
• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Slice the dough log into 12 pieces with a sharp knife and arrange cut-side up in the dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Uncover the rolls and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the icing: Mix the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and mix until smooth. Spread on the warm rolls.

BLUEBERRY & LEMON HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Mix the bread flour, yeast, sugar, cinnamon, oil, 2 tsp sea salt and 350ml warm water in a bowl with a spoon first, and then with your hands. Add the zest and continue to knead (or use a mixer fitted with a dough hook) for around 10 mins until it feels less sticky. Shape into a ball, return to the bowl and cover. Leave to rise for about 1 hr or until doubled in size (or leave in the fridge overnight).
• Knock the air out of the dough. Gently knead in the frozen blueberries. On a floured surface, shape into eight buns. Put the buns on a baking tray lined with baking parchment (no more than 2cm apart) and prove somewhere warm for 1 hr or until well risen.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Brush the bun tops with milk. Mix the plain flour with water to make a paste, transfer to a piping bag and pipe crosses on top. Bake for 25-30 mins or until golden and risen. Brush with the maple syrup while still warm.