Earl Grey Citrus Morning Buns Recipe
These Earl Grey Citrus Morning Buns are a perfect blend of fragrant Earl Grey tea, zesty orange, and buttery dough rolled into soft, flaky buns. Ideal for a luxurious breakfast or brunch, they offer a tender crumb enriched with aromatic citrus and tea-infused sugar glaze for a delightful morning treat.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes active + 1 hour chilling + overnight rest
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: Approximately 14 hours (including chilling and rising times)
- Yield: 12 buns 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 250 g plain flour
- 250 g strong white bread flour
- 7 g active dry yeast
- 50 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 250 ml full fat milk
- 1 egg
- 250 g unsalted butter, room temperature (preferably President)
Filling
- 120 g butter, melted but at room temperature
- 200 g golden caster sugar
- Pinch of salt
- Zest of 2 large oranges
- Tea leaves from 4 Earl Grey teabags
Glaze
- 1 medium egg
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Place both flours into a large bowl. In a jug, whisk together yeast, sugar, salt, milk, and egg. Gradually pour this liquid into the flours while mixing by hand until a smooth, sticky dough forms. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Prepare butter envelope: Fold baking paper into a 35x20cm envelope shape. Spread softened butter thinly on the paper, wrap it, and chill in the fridge.
- Laminate the dough: Roll chilled dough on a floured surface into a 55x30cm rectangle (short edge facing you). Place chilled butter envelope over bottom two thirds. Fold top third down over middle third, then fold bottom third up on top. Roll again into a large rectangle and repeat folding. Chill for 30 minutes. Repeat the rolling and folding two more times, then refrigerate overnight.
- Prepare filling mix and tins: Melt butter. Mix sugar, salt, orange zest, and Earl Grey tea leaves in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, lightly butter muffin tin holes and sprinkle about 1 tsp of sugar mix across 4 holes. Set aside.
- Roll and fill dough: Roll dough to approximately 60x40cm on a floured surface. Trim edges to make straight. Brush top with remaining melted butter, then evenly scatter sugar mix (reserving 25g). Press sugar into dough gently.
- Shape buns: Starting from the long edge, roll dough tightly into a long log. Cut into 12 equal sections and place in muffin tin holes. Cover loosely and leave to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
- Glaze and bake: Preheat oven to 200°C (392°F). Beat the egg and brush over buns. Bake for 40 minutes, turning tins halfway, until dark golden brown. Immediately remove buns from tins onto a wire rack, loosen edges if stuck, and cool for 5 minutes.
- Sugar coating: Place remaining sugar mix in a tray and roll the warm buns in the sugar to coat thoroughly.
Notes
- Use strong white bread flour to achieve a chewy, airy texture in the dough.
- Laminating the dough with butter creates the flaky, layered structure akin to croissants.
- Ensure the dough and butter are well chilled to make rolling and folding easier and maintain layers.
- Use fresh zest and quality Earl Grey tea leaves for the best aromatic flavor.
- Turning the tins during baking helps ensure even browning.
- Roll buns in sugar while warm for a sticky, sweet finish.
- These buns store well covered; reheat gently before serving.
Keywords: morning buns, Earl Grey, citrus, orange zest, breakfast pastries, laminated dough, tea infused, brunch buns
