Vegan Strawberry Buns

Instructions

1. Heat the milk, coconut oil and sugar in a saucepan until just steaming, but do not let it simmering. Make sure the coconut oil has melted.
2. Remove from the heat, check that temperature is below 28 degree Celsius, add the yeast, stir, and let sit for 5 minutes until bubbles/foam is forming.
3. In a large bowl , combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add the foamy yeast mixture to the flour mixture. Mix together.
5. Using your hands, knead for 3 - 4 minutes until smooth. Add a bit more flour if needed, the dough should be slightly sticky but not stick to the bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour or until it has doubled its volume.
6. While the buns are resting, start making the strawberry filling, if not using the store bought jam.
7. In a medium saucepan combine the fresh strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice and the cornstarch . Stir gently with a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients. Allow the berries to macerate a bit and get juicy.
8. Cook the strawberries on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they become soft and tender. This process usually takes about 8-10 minutes.
9. Continue cooking the compote on medium-low heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly.
10. Remove from heat , cover it with a wet tea towel and let it cool.
11. Lightly grease a baking dish that's about 10½ x 8 inch (27 x 21 cm), or big enough to easily fit all the rolls.
12. Transfer the dough onto a floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a ½ cm thick rectangle of 30 x 40 cm.
13. Spread strawberry filling all over the dough, all the way to the edges.
14. Using a pizza cutter or knife, slice dough into 9-12 equal strips. Roll them up one at a time and place them into the baking pan.
15. Cover the baking pan with a damp cloth and let rest in a warm place for another hour.
16. While waiting, mix the milk with maple syrup to prepare the sweetened mil mixture. Set it aside.
17. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
18. Place the buns in the centre rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes. The remove from the oven to spoon the sweetened milk mixture over the buns.
19. Return the buns back into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops of the buns are golden.
20. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
21. Start preparing the strawberry cream cheese frosting:
22. In a small bowl, stir the cream cheese and the strawberry jam until creamy and well combined. Store in fridge until serving the buns
23. If you would like to store the buns, do not cover them with the frosting. You can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 day.
24. If served immediately, spread the strawberry cream cheese frosting on top using an offset spatula. Decorate with half fresh strawberries and comestible flowers.

Recipes & photos: Georgiana @_georgiana.scarlat_