Peach and Lemon Rolls

Life is about to change in our family. Not in a huge way, but in a significant way nonetheless.  Our family of 7 is loosing two members for a few months.  One on a far away trip for two months, and one to school ten hours away.  You've probably been here, where we are, moments away from change, hanging on with everything we've got try to savour our last days, hours, and minutes.  There is no one to miss right now. Everything I want to chat, reveal, or say can be said face to face. Soon this fantastic summer will be over and, like the leaves, the people most special to me will float from our comfortable place high in the trees to far away places on the breeze.  I hope for everyone's sake that they make a soft landing on the ground below and that we'll see them all again come Christmas.  Goodbye Natasha. Goodbye Steph. Goodbye Erin.

In effort to maxamize our time together we had a brunch for both Natasha and Stephlynne (there has also been bbqs, long movies and slow coffees).  At this brunch there was apple crumble courtesy of our mother which, when I bit into it, required me to restrain myself from running out the door, down the street back home to put up fall decorations and bake pumpkins pie and find something to kill all the trees in the yard so their leaves would turn colour immediately. Good job mom!  Shane made potato coins with thyme and rosemary (which knocked my socks off) and smoked salmon from the day before.  There was a joint effort on the eggs benedict (thanks for the hollandaise Shane).  My contribution was peach and lemon rolls.  Yup.  

Peach and lemon rolls are cinnamon rolls without the cinnamon...or cream cheese frosting.  They are a last hurrah for a fleeting summer, with the end of the season's peaches disappearing before my eyes, just like certain people.  I know I've talked about cinnamon rolls (sticky buns) before.  I normally go to Joanne Chang's Sticky Buns, but they are quite a lot of work and, as good as they may be, I wasn't up for that process.  Although the recipe I used took time and forethought, it seemed simpler and the results were fan-friggin'-tastic, I dare say I might have found MY 'go-to' rolls because there really is nothing to improve on.  They are perfect.  I don't even know where to start except...swoon!  The dough here is soft and tender and flakes off in pieces, so you can pull it apart until you reach the beloved middle bite.  The filling is softly peach-y, sweet, but not too sweet, and summery.  

Peach and Lemon Rolls

Ingredients-dough:

1 cup milk (whole)

125 g (2/3 cup) sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp active-dry yeast

120 g (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature

2 eggs

zest of one lemon

1/2 tsp salt

510 g (4 1/4 cups) all purpose flour

filling:

5 peaches

66 g + 100g (1/3 cup + 1/2 cup) sugar

zest of one lemon

2 tsp cornstarch

60 g (1/4 cup) butter, melted, browned and cooled

glaze:

300g (1 1/2 cup) icing sugar

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp water

Dough:

In a small saucepan heat the milk to 95 F (not hotter or you'll kill the yeast.)  In the bowl of a stand mixer place the yeast and sugar.  Add the warmed milk, mix and last sit for 5-7 minutes or until the yeast is bubbly and activated.  When it's ready add the butter, eggs, lemon zest and salt and mix with the paddle attachment.  Add the flour to the bowl and beat on low speed for 2 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and switch to the dough hook.  (I had to add another 1/4 cup of flour to cut down on the wetness.)  Knead the batter with the dough hook for 10 minutes on medium speed.  

On a clean counter spread a little flour.  Dump the kneaded dough onto it and knead somemore with your hands.  Add 1/2 cup of flour on top and knead it in over two mintues.  The dough should not be too dry, you want soft and sticky.  

In a lightly oiled bowl place the dough.  Cover with plastic wrap and a clean towel.  Leave to rise in a slightly warmed placed for 1 - 1 1/2 hours until doubled.  After this step I left for work.  Shane punched down the dough and put it in the fridge.  In the morning I took the bowl out and placed it in a very slightly warmed oven for about an hour.  Then I continued with the recipe.

To prepare the peaches, peel 4 of them briefly and slice into wedges.  I used a wand mixer and pureed them up until only a few chunks remained.  I placed this in a bowl and added the last peach, which I sliced into 1/2 inch wedges along with the 1/3 cup sugar, lemon zest and corn starch.  Mixed all together and it's done.

Brown the butter now by sticking the 1/4 cup in a small saucepan.  Over medium-low heat melt the butter and continue to watch it, swirling frequently until the bottom starts to brown.  Swirl and swirl more until the scent is nutty and the butter is browned.  Take it off the heat quickly.  Done.  You've browned butter.

Grease a 9x13 inch pan with butter. Set aside.

Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it onto a lightly floured surface.  With a rolling pin spread to a 10x20 inch rectangle.  Spread the butter over the dough.  Spread the peach filling over the dough.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup sugar over the dough.  

Quickly roll up the dough so you have a 20 inch long tube.  Cut into 12 pieces.  The whole thing will be a sloppy mess and the filling will drain out into the bottom, but that is okay!  Cover the buns with plastic wrap and a towel and set in a warm place to rise again.  This time only leave it for an hour, it will just puff.  

Preheat the oven to 400 F and bake for 20-25 minutes.  You want to pan to be golden and bubbling.  Leave it to cool for 30 minutes.  

Meanwhile make the glaze by combining the icing sugar, lemon juice and water.  Drizzle the glaze over the cooled rolls and serve immideatly if you can.  They will last three days if well wrapped but are obviously best if eaten right away.

Browned Butter