Pucker up, here comes lemon aid

Published 6:39 pm Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Aside from lemon pie, lemon bars, lemon lush and lemon cake, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of lemon happening out there on the sweet-treat scene.

Here, though, lemon lovers, is something spanking, sparkling new that’s lemon inside and out. It starts with a sweet yeast dough, just like a cinnamon roll, but has a sweet, tangy filling sparked with a double dose of lemon instead. A buttery, lemon-infused cream cheese frosting supplies the finishing touch.

As an added bonus, the whole project, from start to finish, is prepared in stages and then waits in the refrigerator until you’re ready to finish it off. Doesn’t get much better than that does it?

Created by Fleischmann’s Yeast to be delicious at breakfast, for a luncheon, or even as an evening dessert, let’s see what we make of:

Lemon swirl rolls

Rolls:

7-71/2 cups flour, divided

1envelope Fleischmann’s RapidRise yeast

2/3cup sugar

1-1/2teaspoons salt

1-1/2cups water

2/3cup shortening

1cup mashed potatoes, left over, or prepared instant mashed potatoes

2eggs

1/4cup butter or margarine, softened, divided

Lemon filling:

1cup sugar

2tablespoons cornstarch

1tablespoon lemon peel

1/3cup lemon juice

1/3cup water

6egg yolks

1/4cup butter or margarine

Lemon cream cheese frosting:

1package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2cup butter or margarine, softened

1teaspoon lemon juice

2-1/2cups powdered sugar

1teaspoon lemon peel

For the dough, combine 2 cups of the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large mixer bowl. Combine water, shortening and mashed potatoes in a saucepan and heat to 120 to 130 degrees; add to flour mixture. Add eggs. Beat on low speed with electric mixer for 3 minutes or until smooth. Gradually add more flour until dough is sticky.

Knead dough on floured surface until smooth, 8 to 10 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.

For the lemon filling, combine sugar and cornstarch in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly. Beat egg yolks in a small bowl. Gradually stir half of the lemon mixture into the eggs; return the egg yolk mixture to the saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil; allow to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter or margarine; pour into a suitable bowl and cover surface of the lemon filling with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour. Filling will keep for 1 week.

For the rolls, remove dough from the refrigerator and gently press dough down. Divide dough in half. Roll one half into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle. Spread with 2 tablespoons of the butter and half the lemon filling. Roll jelly-roll style and slice into 1-inch pieces. Place rolls in a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise until doubled, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pan. Cool an additional 20 minutes, then spread with lemon cream cheese frosting.

For the lemon cream cheese frosting, combine the cream cheese, butter or margarine and lemon juice in a mixer bowl. Beat until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting is light and fluffy. Stir in lemon peel.

Refrigerate icing if it is not going to be used immediately.

Makes two 9-by-13-inch pans.

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