Lemon drizzle swirls
These lemon drizzle swirls are pure, edible joy. Soft sweet dough, swirled with lemon zest and drizzled in a thick, creamy, lemony frosting with a tiny kiss of cardamom.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 600g/1lb 5oz strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 14g/½oz fast-action yeast
- 75g/2⅔oz golden caster sugar
- 90g/3¼oz unsalted butter, softened
- 275ml/9½fl oz lukewarm full-fat milk
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 medium free-range egg
- flavourless oil, for greasing the tin
For the filling
- 45g/1½oz unsalted butter, softened
- 175g/6oz golden caster sugar
- 2 lemons, zest only
- 4 cardamom pods, seeds removed and crushed to a fine powder
- a pinch of salt
For the frosting
- 110g/4oz unsalted butter, softened
- 250g/9oz full-fat cream cheese
- 5 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 lemon, zest only
Method
Start by making the dough. Put the flour, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl or the bowl of a freestanding mixer. Mix well. Rub in the softened butter using the tips of your fingers until there are no large lumps left. Create a well in the centre.
In a bowl or jug, whisk together the milk, almond extract and egg. Pour this into the dry mixture. Attach the dough hook and mix. If there are still dry bits on the base, add a spoonful of water at a time until there are none remaining. As soon as it has come together, knead on high for 7 minutes. Alternatively, bring the dough together and knead by hand until smooth and silky.
Shape the dough into a neat ball, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.
Make the filling by mixing all the ingredients together and set aside. Grease a 30x24cm/12x9½in brownie tin with oil.
Once the dough has doubled in size, dust the work surface with flour and tip it out. Roll it into a 50x30cm/20x12in rectangle, keeping the longer side closest to you. Spoon the filling on top and spread all over using the back of a spoon. Roll up the dough from the long side (like a Swiss roll). Cut into 12 equal pieces. Place into the tray swirl-side up with a little space between each piece. Grease a piece of cling film and cover the tray. Leave in a warm place to prove again until the edges of the buns just touch.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
Remove the cling film and bake for 20 minutes. Leave to cool until just warm.
Make the frosting by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl. Generously spread all over the cooled buns. Tear, share... and enjoy.
