Lemon Coconut Sweet Buns!

It's here! In our house, we count any days after Thanksgiving as "The Christmas Season!"  It's my tradition to decorate the house on the day after Thanksgiving (I'm obviously not a "Black Friday" shopper - lol!) . My hubby manages to make his escape, whether to work or SOMEWHERE else, though he helps with the tree in the evening. I don't mind being alone for the day.....there's something sort-of sacred about spending those few hours decking the halls and contemplating all the blessings of the season while listening to Christmas carols. My rule is that all decorating can be done in a few hours - I want to enjoy every minute....not just look forward to it being DONE. That rule usually allows me enough time to bake up something special, because in the evening, we have the fam over. The grandkids help decorate the tree while the adults sip on warm cider, enjoying good conversation, laughing at the kids and half-watching a Christmas movie.

These lemon-coconut buns have received rave reviews in the past, so they might be my "treat" for this year's decorating event. I'll make the dough before my decorating begins - let it rise while I'm busy; then I'll shape it and let it rise while I'm tidying up the Christmas decor mayhem. We'll all enjoy them warm from the oven that way!

Lemon Coconut Buns 

Dough:

1 Tbsp/pkg. Red Star Platinum Yeast

¼ cup warm water

2 ¼ Cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

1/3 Cup milk, warmed

3 Tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. butter, cut in pieces

1 egg

Filling:

3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

¼ Cup sugar

¼ Cup coconut

1 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. lemon juice

Glaze:

½ Cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. butter, softened

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Place warm water and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated, adding a small amount of additional flour if dough is too sticky. Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray, “smooth” dough and replace in bucket. Cover and let rise until doubled. While dough is rising, stir filling ingredients together.

Roll dough into a rectangle, at least 14”x 10”. Spread filling ingredients evenly over the dough. Roll up, cinnamon-roll style, starting with long edge. Cut log into 10-12 rolls. Place in a greased 8 or 9” round pan. Let rise until dough reaches top of pan. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes, until golden. Remove from pan to cool.  Combine glaze ingredients. Brush with glaze while warm.

Visit http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting/ for more delicious breads 

Lemon Coconut Sweet Buns!