500g strong white flour
75g Siúcra caster sugar
1 tsp / 5g salt
1 egg
10g fresh yeast or 1 tsp of dried yeast
75g butter, diced
Zest 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
300ml cold milk
10 Siúcra sugar cubes Nibbed sugar to garnish (if you cannot get nibbed sugar, roughly crush a few sugar cubes)
Sugar syrup
100g Siúcra caster sugar
Juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange

This recipe produces a very wet dough. Do not panic if you find your dough to be very wet and avoid the temptation to add extra flour. Be persistent, the dough will come together (note: it will not dry out but will become very elastic). If you have a mixer to hand feel free to use it.
Using a mixer, add the flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl. Dissolve the yeast in the milk and add to the flour mix along with the egg and zest of the lemon and orange. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough on a medium speed. Initially the dough will appear quite wet.

Continue mixing until the dough starts to come away from the sides. This will take approximately 8-10 minutes.  Drop in the butter and continue mixing until all of the butter is incorporated. The dough should be soft, supple and silky. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave to prove for 2 hours.

On a lightly floured work surface, turn out the dough, knock back and portion into 10 equal amounts (approximately 100g each).

Roll each portion into a small ball and place seam side up on the work surface. Insert a sugar cube into each ball of dough.

Turning each roll over, gently roll for a second time just enough to trap the sugar cube within. Place onto a baking tray lined with parchment, leaving enough room so that each is not touching.

Cover with a damp cloth and leave to prove for approximately 90 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5.

Brush each bun with egg wash and bake for 15- 18 minutes until evenly golden.

As the buns bake, make the sugar syrup. In a saucepan, add 100g Siúcra caster sugar and the juice of the zested lemon and orange. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Once the buns are baked, transfer to a wire rack to cool. Whilst warm, brush each bun with the sugar glaze and top with nibbed sugar.

Recipe by Patrick Ryan Of Firehouse Bakery