I knew I wanted to bake with these, however, especially
since I hadn’t baked blueberry anything since this (delicious!) blueberries and cream pie. I was
tempted to make the best blueberry muffins because, true to their name, they really are the best. On a whim,
however, I adapted Joy the Baker’s recipe for Raspberry Lemon Rolls and made Blueberry Lemon Rolls.
The process is the same as cinnamon rolls: make dough, let
dough rise, roll out dough, fill, cut into rolls, rise a second time, and bake.
Or, as I often do when I make cinnamon rolls, I cut the rolls, assemble them in
the pan, and then freeze them until ready to serve.
I was waiting for the right moment to pull them out and bake
them, but the perfect moment was preceded by the fact that I needed my pan for
something else! Out of the freezer they came, for a rest in the fridge
overnight, and then I baked them the next day (you could likely bake straight
from the freezer, it would just take a lot longer!).
A touch healthier than cinnamon rolls, I felt a little less
guilty reheating one of these each morning to enjoy alongside a green smoothie.
Even with whole-wheat flour, they weren’t particularly heavy and the berries
and lemon brightened the rolls. You could definitely swap in other berries
(even frozen) and omit the glaze to keep them even more wholesome!
adapted from Joy the Baker's Lemon Raspberry Rolls
Ingredients:
for the dough-
-1 cup milk
-2/3 cup sugar
-1 1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
-1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
-2 large eggs
-1/2 tsp lemon zest
-1/2 tsp salt
-4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup for kneading, plus more for counter (I used half whole-wheat flour)
for the filling-
-1 pint fresh blueberries
-1/3 cup sugar, plus addtl for sprinkling
-1 tsp lemon zest
-1 tsp cornstarch
-1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
for the glaze-
-1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
-2 tbsp lemon juice
-1 tbsp water
Directions:
1. To make the dough, heat milk in a small saucepan over low to about 95 degrees. Pour the warm milk into the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the sugar and yeast and allow to sit for 5-7 minutes. Once yeast is frothy, add the butter, eggs, lemon zest, and salt. Add 4 1/4 cups flour and beat on low for 2 minutes, using the paddle attachment. After 2 minutes, scrape down the sides and replace the paddle with a dough hook. Beat for 10 minutes.
2. Flour a clean counter or a silpat. Place the dough on the work surface, sprinkle with 1/2 cup flour, and knead for 2 minutes, until dough is soft and slightly sticky. Place in a large bowl lightly sprayed with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
3. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan with butter and set aside. To make the filling, toss the blueberries with the sugar, lemon zest, and cornstarch. Use a spoon to slightly crush some of the blueberries. Set aside.
4. Melt butter in a saucepan until browned and fragrant. Allow to cool slightly.
5. Once the dough has doubled in size, turn out onto a floured surface and gently knead for a minute before rolling into a 10 x 20 inch rectangle. Spread melted butter over the dough and top with the filling. Sprinkle with sugar. Tightly roll up the dough into a 20-inch log.
6. Use a serrated knife to cut rolls, about 1-inch wide. Place rolls into the prepared pan. If cooking immediately, allow to rest, covered with a kitchen towel, for one hour. If freezing, cover pan and freeze.
7. If rolls are frozen, allow to thaw overnight. Preheat oven to 400F. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and bubbling (if baking immediately after second rise, follow these same instructions). Allow to cool for 30 minutes after baking.
8. To make the glaze, whisk together the sugar, lemon juice, and water. Drizzle glaze over cooled rolls and serve.