Strawberry Poppy Seed Buns

I’m back with more swirl buns! When I stumbled upon the recipe for Strawberry Poppy Seed Buns from the new Bake From Scratch cookbook, I decided to drop everything (which was really just taking a break from recipe testing for my next book) and make them. The dough came together beautifully and was a dream to work with, and my family and neighbors devoured them immediately then raved all day about them, so I knew the recipe was gold. Strawberries aren’t in season yet, but here freeze-dried strawberries are crushed into a powder (a genius move), and I was able to round up a few ripe strawberries at my local grocery store for the cream cheese filling. If you haven’t heard of Bake From Scratch, you can find their webpage here. They also have a monthly magazine that is a great read. 

Other recipes you may enjoy: Rhubarb Blackberry Streusel Buns, Morning Buns, Strawberries and Cream Brioche Buns, Cardamom Sugar Buns, and Cinnamon Buns. 

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A few things:

*Last spring I was on an episode of Cherry Bombe Radio recorded here in Minneapolis at The Lynhall. You can listen here. 

*The Lynhall is also currently looking for Grandmas to come and share family recipes! 

*A few books on my March reading list: The Source of Self-Regard by Toni Morrison, The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, and Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harai, 

*I’ve been highly enjoying Season 3 of Documentary Now, a show which takes famous, real documentaries and turns them into a comedic version that just might be better. If you enjoyed Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and the rest of Christopher Guest’s mockumentary movies, you will probably like this. 

*This week we celebrated World Poetry Day! If you forgot to celebrate, you can head this way and read poetry to your heart’s content. 

|| Sources ||
Material Kitchen | Pink knife
Williams Sonoma | Gold Touch Baking Pan
Canvas Home | Gold Cutlery

Strawberry Poppy Seed Buns
From Bake From Scratch Vol. 3

PRINT THIS RECIPE

Notes: To make powdered freeze-dried strawberries, place freeze-dried strawberries in the bowl of a food processor, and then pulse until reduced to a powder. Wait a few seconds before removing the lid, because there is quite a bit of strawberry dust that needs to settle. Freeze-dried strawberries can be purchased online, and I’ve also found them at Target and Trader Joe’s. 

4 cups (508g) bread flour
2 tablespoons (24g) granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons (7g) instant yeast
2 teaspoons (6g) poppy seeds
1 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt
1 1/4 cup (300g) warm whole milk (120F | 49C)
1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg (50g)

1/3 cup (76g) unsalted butter, room temperature (for spreading over the dough)

Strawberry Cream Cheese
4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup (4g) freeze-dried strawberries, powdered (see note)
1/4 cup (37g) diced fresh strawberries

Strawberry Cardamom Sugar
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (5g) freeze-dried strawberries
1 teaspoon (2g) ground cardamom
1 teaspoon (1g) lemon zest

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces (115g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons (21g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (180g) confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup (4g) freeze-dried strawberries, powdered (see note)
2-3 tablespoon (30-45g) whole milk

For the dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, poppy seeds, and salt. 

In a large measuring cup, stir together the warm milk and melted butter. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the milk mixture and egg to the flour mixture, beating until a soft dough forms, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes. 

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place (75F | 24C) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 

For the cream cheese filling
In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat all the ingredients at medium-low speed until well combined. (Can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.)

For the strawberry cardamom sugar
In the work bowl of a food processor, place all the ingredients; process until well combined. (Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.)

To assemble
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 14 x 10-inch rectangle. Spread the Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling evenly over the dough. Fold the dough into thirds, like a letter. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 10 minutes. 

Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. (I lined my pan with a parchment sling, and then buttered the parchment paper.) 

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough back into a 14 x 10-inch rectangle. Spread the 1/3 cup room temperature butter evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on one long side. Sprinkle the butter evenly with the Strawberry Cardamom Sugar, gently pressing the sugar mixture into the butter. 

Starting with one long side, roll the dough into a log, pinching the seam to seal. Trim the ends. With a knife or sharp scissors, slice the log into 12 even pieces. Place the pieces, cut side up, into the prepared pan. Let the buns rise in a warm, draft-free place (75F | 24C) until puffed, about 45 minutes. 

While the buns are rising, preheat the oven to 375F (190C). 

Bake the buns until golden and puffed, 25-30 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes on a wire rack. Drizzle with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting. Serve warm. 

For the strawberry cream cheese frosting
In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the cream cheese and butter at medium speed until creamy. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and freeze-dried strawberry powder, beating until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the milk, 1 tablespoon (15g) at a time, beating until the desired consistency is reached. Use immediately.