Key lime pie buns

If you can let these buns cool without tucking in, you deserve a medal. These are a delicious afternoon treat.

Ingreadient

• 170ml whole milk
• 250g light brown soft sugar
• 7g sachet Easy Bake yeast
• 200g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 500g strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• ¾ tsp fine sea salt
• 3 Waitrose British Blacktail Large Free Range Eggs, beaten
• 4 unwaxed limes, zest of all, juice of 1½
• 1 unwaxed lemon, zest
• 200g full-fat soft cheese
• 250g icing sugar

Step by step

1. Warm the milk over a low heat until just starting to steam. Tip into a jug with 50g brown sugar and the yeast, whisk, then set aside. Melt 100g butter. In the bowl of a freestanding mixer or mixing bowl, whisk the flour and salt. Make a well and pour in the milk mixture, melted butter and eggs. Add the zest and juice of 1 lime; mix well. Knead the dough in a mixer or by hand until smooth and elastic (8 - 10 minutes). Transfer to a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
2. When the dough has risen, knock it back onto a clean work surface and roll into a rectangle about 25 x 40cm. Spread with 75g butter, the zest of 1 lime and all the lemon zest. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 200g light brown soft sugar, patting it onto the dough, then roll into a log, starting at the longer side. Cut into 12 evenly sized pieces.
3. Grease a 25cm x 30cm roasting tin and put the buns in it, cut-side up. Leave to prove for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190ºC, gas mark 5. When the buns are ready and just touching, bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, beat the cheese with the remaining 25g butter. Sift in the icing sugar; beat until smooth. Add most of the remaining lime zest and all the remaining juice. Ice the buns as soon as they come out of the oven. Cool, then sprinkle over the remaining zest.