”These soft and pillowy brioche buns stuffed with lemon curd and topped with a simple lemon icing are a perfect recipe for when you need something to brighten a wintery day. If you want to bake these fresh in the morning, you can make the dough and proof it slowly in the fridge overnight; simply shape and proof them a second time the following morning or up to three days later. Because the dough is cold, it will take two to three hours for the second proof.” —Edd Kimber
Stuffed Lemon Brioche Buns
Makes 6 buns
Ingredients
Small-Batch Brioche:
- 2 cups (254 grams) white bread flour
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
- 2¼ teaspoons (7 grams) instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature, plus one for egg wash
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons (120 grams) lemon curd
Lemon Icing:
- 1½ cups (180 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, very soft
- Pinch kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
- Zest of ½ lemon
Instructions
- For small-batch brioche: Add the flour, salt, yeast, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, and mix together briefly to combine. Add the milk and 1 egg, and mix to form a shaggy dough.
- On medium-low speed, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. With the mixer still running, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue kneading until the dough is once again smooth and silky, up to 10 minutes more.
- Turn the dough out onto the work surface, and form into a smooth round. Place the ball of dough into a lightly greased bowl, and cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Line a large baking pan with a piece of parchment paper.
- Lightly punch down the dough. Divide into 6 evenly sized pieces of dough, and roll each into a smooth round. Press each ball of dough into a 3-inch/7.5cm disc, and place on the baking pan. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
- Brush each bun with beaten egg. Bake the buns for 10 to 12 minutes or until they are golden brown. Remove and set aside until fully cooled.
- Using a chopstick, poke a hole in the top of the buns, wiggling around slightly to make a little room for the filling. Scrape the lemon curd into a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip, and pipe about 1 tablespoon (20 grams) curd into each bun.
- For lemon icing: Add all the ingredients except the lemon zest to a bowl, and beat together until smooth. Spoon a little icing onto each bun, and spread on the top of the buns, finishing with a light sprinkling of lemon zest. Best served the day they’re baked.
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