Warm Weather People & a Recipe for Summer Fruit Cinnamon Rolls
Are you a summer person? This shouldn’t be too tough of a question, really. Either you are like me and you find yourself seeking out sunshine, you hate wearing pants and closed-toed shoes, and you live for patio season; or, you prefer frostbite, dreary weather, and sadness.
Too much? Okay.
Still, I can’t get enough of this time of year {it must be all of those patio beers and the fruit in my belly}.
Those odd days of rain and clouds, however, bring along the perfect opportunity to stay inside for a few hours: baking. Not just any baking, baking that requires time. Baking that requires work. Baking that tastes so damn good that I won’t feel guilty for spending part of the day indoors {indoor guilt: it’s a real thing}.
These Summer Fruit Cinnamon Rolls, in particular, are perfect for some rainy day baking. They taste like summer {oh, slowly baked stone fruit, be still my beating heart} but they have the warm flavour and aroma of cinnamon that brings upon a feeling of cosiness on a less than perfect day.
Now you tell me: are you a hot or cold weather person?
Summer Fruit Cinnamon Rolls
Adapted from Canadian Living’s Whole Wheat Cinnamon Buns
Makes 12
Ingredients:
BREAD BASE
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 cup lukewarm milk
1 large egg, lightly whisked
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more if necessary
1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoons rapid-rise/instant yeast
½ teaspoon sea salt
FILLING
1 large nectarine, diced
1 large plum, diced
½ cup blueberries
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons grape seed, canola, or extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, whisk sugar, milk, egg, butter, and vanilla; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flours, yeast, and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the large bowl with the wet ingredients, mixing constantly. When you have a somewhat dry, shaggy dough, turn the contents of the bowl out on to a clean surface. Knead the dough for about 7–10 minutes, until you have a smooth, elastic ball of dough. Add more flour by the teaspoon, if needed. Transfer the ball to a large, oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until the dough is doubled in volume, about 1–1 ½ hours.
3. While the dough is rising, prepare the filling: mix all filling ingredients together in a medium bowl and cover. Line a 9x13 inch (3L) baking dish with parchment and set aside.
4. When the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Roll it out into a 20x12 inch (50x30cm) rectangle, and then spread the topping evenly over top. With the dough in a horizontal position, roll it away from you (starting at one of the long edges). When there’s just a little bit of dough left to roll up, pull it into the roll and press to seal the filling in; pinch the open ends closed.
4. Cut the roll into 12 even-sized pieces and then transfer them to the parchment-lined baking dish. Cover loosely with a tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, or until the tops of the rolls are golden brown in colour and sound hollow when tapped. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; serve warm.
