Matcha & Lemon sticky buns (Vegan friendly)

Hello my food friends! It’s Sticky Bun Friday! It’s just like pancake day except with less pans and more sticky. I mentioned in one of my posts that I was going to give you vegan alternatives to various things I’ve tried in the past that have been huge hits. One of the big ones that stands out for me are the sticky buns I made for Christmas. They were the perfect marriage of sticky, sweet and soft. With this recipe I am aiming to get the exact same deliciousness with a matcha and lemon twist.

Matcha powder is made from green tea leaves and in turn has incredible health benefits. The green fairy dust is full of good stuff like antioxidants, this little health punch helps lower cholesterol, helps with inflammation and keeps you alert! It’s like the healthy version of coffee.

Matcha has a slightly bitter taste which pairs beautifully with citrus. I made this recipe with a lemon filling as well as a lemon glaze. It comes together zesty and sweet, but not overly sweet. Just my cup of tea.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup                     almond milk
• 3 TBS                     vegan butter
• 1 pckt                    instant yeast (about 2 tsp)
• 1 TBS                     sugar
• ¼ tsp                     salt
• 2 ½ cups               all purpose flour (plus a little extra for dusting)
• 2 TBS                     matcha powder
• 2 TBS goji berries (For decoration)

Filling:

• ½ cup                    vegan butter
• ½ cup                    brown sugar
• 1                              lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 TBS                     all purpose flour

Glaze:

• 1 cup                     icing sugar (sifted)
• 1                              lemon, zested and juiced

Method:

• In a saucepan gently heat the milk and butter until just before a simmer. Remove from heat and add the yeast. Let this sit for 10 minutes to activate.
• Add the matcha and the flour together.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the yeast mixture, the salt and sugar.
• Using a dough hook, mix the flour into your yeast mixture, a little bit at a time.
• Mix for about 10 – 15 mins until the dough has come together and is soft.
• Cover the bowl with cling film and let sit for 20 minutes in a warm area.
• While it is rising mix your filling.
• Add all filling ingredients together and mix until well combined. Place in the fridge to harden a little.
• Line a dish of your choice with vegan butter and a dusting of brown sugar.
• When your dough has finished the first rise, take it out of the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, try get it about 1 cm high.
• Spread your filling evenly on the dough, then roll it up. Remember to roll from the long end until you have a long sausage.
• Cut the dough into disks now, about 4 cm. Place the rolls in your greased dish, make sure they are nice and cosy. They should be touching but not too tightly. Cover with cling film and let rise in a warm area for 20-30 mins until slightly puffy.
• Preheat your oven to 180°C.
• Bake for 20-30 mins until cooked through and all golden around the edges.
• While the rolls are baking, make the glaze.
• Combine the glaze ingredients together with a whisk, making sure there are no lumps. When adding the lemon juice, do so a little at a time until you get your preferred consistency.
• When your buns are cooked, remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Pour over the glaze, sprinkle with dried goji berries and serve while still warm.

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as I did! (I’ve already eaten 3, someone please stop me haha!)

Thanks for reading, and as always, if you make this please drop me a message and let me know how it turned out! You can also tag me in your creation on Instagram @ninarlasvegas!

xx

N