Lemon Buns
I have adapted the Japanese milk bread method for these lemon buns, which makes them extremely light, soft and pillowy. They are now my favourite, (just!) knocking iced buns off their top spot. Arranged as a wreath, these buns make a beautiful centrepiece for Easter celebrations or for a spring afternoon tea. But they’re equally delicious baked in standard formation!
If you follow the proportions I’ve suggested below, this recipe will make two medium-sized wreaths, with a few spare buns for tasting. If you have time, prepare the yudane the night before you bake.
The dough is extremely soft to work with: while this makes the shaping a little more fiddly, it pays off in end, resulting in the lightest buns.
Ingredients
For the yudane:
Method
1. Make the yudane at least 4 hours in advance (preferably the night before you want to bake). Mix the flour and water together to form a dough. Once cooled, wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge.
I have adapted the Japanese milk bread method for these lemon buns, which makes them extremely light, soft and pillowy. They are now my favourite, (just!) knocking iced buns off their top spot. Arranged as a wreath, these buns make a beautiful centrepiece for Easter celebrations or for a spring afternoon tea. But they’re equally delicious baked in standard formation!
If you follow the proportions I’ve suggested below, this recipe will make two medium-sized wreaths, with a few spare buns for tasting. If you have time, prepare the yudane the night before you bake.
The dough is extremely soft to work with: while this makes the shaping a little more fiddly, it pays off in end, resulting in the lightest buns.
Ingredients
For the yudane:
- 100g plain flour
- 80ml just-boiled water
- 250ml just-warm milk
- 15g dried yeast
- 400g plain flour (and extra for shaping the dough)
- 60g caster sugar
- 100g butter, cubed
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 medium egg
- 5g salt
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 250g mixed fruit (I use 50g currants, 60g raisins, 80g sultanas, 10g mixed peel, but use what you prefer)
- 45ml lemon juice (approximately two lemons)
- 330g icing sugar
- 30cm x 30cm baking tray (or adapt the size/arrangement of the buns to fit your baking tray)
Method
1. Make the yudane at least 4 hours in advance (preferably the night before you want to bake). Mix the flour and water together to form a dough. Once cooled, wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge.
2. Heat the milk in the saucepan briefly, until just warm. Remove from the heat and mix in the dried yeast (it will look a bit clumpy).
3. To help with the even distribution of yudane, tear it into small pieces (it will be elastic). Put the flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and egg in the bowl of a food mixer. Pour the milk-yeast mixture over the top, leave for a minute, and then knead on medium speed for 5 minutes until it has come together. The dough will be very wet at this stage.
4. Add the salt, lemon and mixed fruit and knead for a further 10 minutes. Leave it in the bowl, covered with a clean towel, to rise for an hour (until doubled in size).
5. Lightly dust your work surface and your hands with flour (the dough will feel soft and a little sticky, so you will need a bit of flour to help you divide and shape it). Divide the dough into balls. The size of your wreath will depend on the look you want to go for and the size of your baking tray. To make two wreaths (with a few buns to spare), divide the dough into 55g pieces and use 9 buns per wreath. Place the balls no more than 1cm apart. Cover with a clean tea towel for 45 minutes. Towards the end of the prove, pre-heat the oven to 210°C.
6. Bake at 210°C (fan), 220°C (non fan) for 10 minutes or until golden brown (a tap on the bottom of the buns should sound hollow). Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling tray.
7. Once cool, decorate: mix the lemon juice and icing sugar, and then spoon over the buns. You could also make edible flowers using edible flower paste, or simply sprinkle over some lemon zest.
7. Once cool, decorate: mix the lemon juice and icing sugar, and then spoon over the buns. You could also make edible flowers using edible flower paste, or simply sprinkle over some lemon zest.