For any citrus fans out there, this was a delicious and special breakfast treat: a giant lemon roll in the spirit of a cinnamon roll cake!
I made this for a friend's birthday, and it was pillowy, and really brightly lemon flavored, with soft dough. Don't tell Paul Hollwood, but I actually prefer when cinnamon rolls are a little underbaked. However, I made sure to bake this one all the way through, and it was still very tender. We cut it in triangles like a pie, which was a little disappointing; I would rather have unrolled it like a cinnamon roll. Maybe that's a little less appropriate in polite company? I was still able to pull my slice apart and eat it layer by layer.
The giant lemon roll was actually quite fun to assemble! Here's how: you make a yeasted dough, let it rise for 30 minutes, roll it into a rectangle, and spread the filling over it. So far, it's like making cinnamon rolls, but here's where it diverges: cut the dough into strips, roll up one strip, and place it cut-side up in the center of the pie plate. Continue to wrap strips of dough around that initial base, making the circle larger and larger, until it nearly fills the pie plate. Let it rest for 90 minutes to two hours before baking for 30 minutes.
If you start early enough, you can make the whole thing before breakfast... but here's an easier option: the night before, make the dough and form the roll. Cover it and let it rise overnight in the fridge. In the morning, give it an hour and a half to come back to room temperature (you can go back to bed), then bake, and then spread the glaze over the top of the warm pastry and let it melt in just a bit.
This pastry is perfect for a brunch or afternoon tea. It was really delicious and I would absolutely make it again!
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