Springtime Lemon Belgian Buns

A soft, joyful bake to brighten your days

There is something about lemon in spring. The light feels different. The mornings stretch a little longer. And suddenly you want to bake something that tastes like sunshine.

These Belgian buns are exactly that.

Soft, pillowy dough.

Bright lemon curd swirled through.

Glossy lemon icing.

A proud little glacé cherry on top.

What You’ll Need

For the Dough

• 450g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

• 7g sachet instant yeast

• 85g caster sugar

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• 1 medium egg

• 220 to 240ml warm milk

• 55g melted butter, cooled slightly

• 150g sultanas, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes then drained well

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For the Lemon Curd Filling

• Zest of 2 large lemons

• Juice of 2 large lemons

• 120g caster sugar

• 60g butter

• 2 medium eggs, beaten

You can absolutely use good quality shop bought lemon curd if life is busy.

For the Lemon Icing

• 275g icing sugar

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• Splash of water only if needed to loosen

• 8 glacé cherries

Step 1: Make the Dough

In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, add the flour, sugar and yeast to one side. Add the salt to the opposite side so it does not sit directly on the yeast.

Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk, egg and melted butter.

Mix until a soft dough forms. It should feel soft and slightly tacky, not stiff or dry. If it feels tight, add a little extra milk one tablespoon at a time.

Knead for 8 to 10 minutes by hand or 5 to 6 minutes in a mixer until smooth and elastic.

Gently knead in the drained sultanas at the end.

Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1½ hours in a warm kitchen. 2-3 hours in a cooler temperature.

Step 2: Make the Lemon Curd

Fill a small saucepan with a few centimetres of water and bring it to a gentle simmer.

Place a heatproof bowl over the pan, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.

Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and butter to the bowl. Stir occasionally until the butter has melted.

Once melted, slowly whisk in the beaten eggs.

Cook gently over the simmering water, stirring constantly with a whisk or spatula. This will take about 8 to 12 minutes.

Be patient. The steam heat thickens the curd gently and prevents scrambling.

The curd is ready when it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. If you run your finger through it, the line should hold.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely before spreading.

Step 3: Shape the Buns

Once risen, tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle roughly 30 by 40cm.

Spread an even layer of cooled lemon curd over the surface, keeping it fairly thin.

Roll up tightly from the long side like a Swiss roll.

Slice into 8 even pieces and place onto a lined baking tray, spaced apart.

Cover loosely and leave to prove again for 45 to 60 minutes until puffy and soft. They should look noticeably swollen and airy.

Step 4: Bake

Bake at 180°C fan or 200°C conventional for 18 to 22 minutes until deep golden on top.

Do not pull them out pale. Golden means flavour and softness.

Cool completely before icing.

Step 5: Finish with Lemon Icing

In a bowl, mix the icing sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice.

Add a tiny splash of water only if needed. You want a thick, spoonable icing that sits proudly on top rather than running off.

Spoon generously over each bun and top with a glacé cherry 🍒 enjoy ☺️