In a small bowl, add your sugar and zest one of your lemons into the sugar. Rub the zest into the sugar until you have a sandy, coarse mixture.
1 md-lg Lemon, 50 g Granulated sugar
In the bowl of your stand mixer with dough hook attached, add flour, salt, yeast, egg, milk, lemon emulsion, and the lemon sugar. Mix for about 5 minutes until a dough comes together.
420 g Bread flour, 6 g Sea salt, 7 g Instant yeast, 1 large Egg, 240 g Whole or 2% milk, 1 tsp Lemon emulsion or extract
Cover the bowl and let sit for about 5 minutes.
Turn the mixer back on, and while the dough is kneading add your butter 1 tbsp at a time. Let the butter be fully incorporated into the dough before adding the next piece. Repeat this until all the butter has been added into the dough.
56 g Unsalted butter
Let the dough knead until it is smooth and stretchy. The dough will be very soft, and stick to the bottom but not be too wet. 10-15 minutes.
Remove your dough from the bowl and shape into a ball. Lightly grease your bowl and return the dough to the bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1-2 hours or until the dough has at least doubled in size.
When your dough is ready, prepare your filling before working with the dough. In a small bowl add your sugar and zest your lemon into the sugar. Rub the zest into the sugar just as you did for the dough.
1 md-lg Lemon, 65 g Granulated sugar
Your butter should be quite soft, so you will be able to mix it easily with a spatula but not melted. Add your butter, flour and vanilla to the lemon sugar and mix together to form a paste.
½ tsp Vanilla extract, 56 g Unsalted butter, 2 g AP or Bread flour
Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
Punch down the dough and transfer to your work surface.
Roll out your dough into approximately a 12x16 inch rectangle.
Spread the filling over the rolled out dough.
Take one of the long sides of your dough and fold it over towards the other long side, creating a long skinny rectangle of dough.
Roll out the dough a little bit, widening the short side. You don't need to worry about doing this a ton as you will stretch the dough strips by hand as well.
Cut your dough into 8 equal strips so the dough cuts should be about 2 inches wide and 6-7 inches long.
Take each strip and pull it lightly, then twist it so it forms a sprial.
Wrap the spiral around your fingers creating a scroll and tuck the end underneath towards the center. Place on your baking sheet.
Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Cover your rolls and let them proof again in a warm spot for 30-60 minutes.
While your rolls proof, preheat your oven to 350°F.
Bake your rolls for about 16-18 minutes. The tops of the rolls should be a nice light but golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes.
After your rolls have cooled enough for you to handle them well, brush them lightly with melted butter and dip the tops in sugar.
14 g Salted butter, 50 g Granulated sugar
Rolls will keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Enjoy!
