Berry Cardamom Sweet Rolls

One of the. best parts of summer? All the fresh berries in season! Since we’re in a pandemic, social activities have come to a halt and life is pretty unpredictable, being able to head to a farm, pick all the berries you can carry, and forget about the chaos taking place in the world is a treat in itself. BUT then I got home and realized I had ten pounds of berries and nothing planned to do with them. I did a little research and decided to update one of my favorite recipes to include a berry component. And I have to say… I absolutely LOVED these.

If you’re on a diet, these aren’t for you. If you hate delicious things, these aren’t for you. But if you enjoy a soft, pillowy dough, have berries you’d like to put to good use, and aren’t in a time crunch, by all means, make these. Share them with friends and neighbors and you’ll become their favorite person. While they’re baking in the oven, the amazing aroma might even make you forget that we’re in a pandemic! That’s how happy it’ll make you. Okay, enough of my rant, below is the recipe. You’re welcome!

Adapted from Yossy Arefi’s recipe from The New York Times

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DOUGH

• 1 (2 1/4 teaspoons/7 grams) package active dry yeast

• 1 cup buttermilk, warmed to 100 degrees

• ¼ cup/50 grams granulated sugar

• ½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter, softened

• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon cardamom

• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 4 to 4 ½ cups/512 to 576 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface

FOR THE FILLING

• 3/4 cup grams granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)

• 1 ½ cups fresh berries, lightly mashed

• Pinch kosher salt

• 6 tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter, very soft, plus more for the parchment paper

FOR THE GLAZE

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 1 ½ tablespoons heavy cream

PREPARATION

1. Make the dough: Combine the yeast, buttermilk and 1 tablespoon sugar and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the butter, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, lemon zest, salt and cardamom to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low to combine. Add the eggs and buttermilk mixture, and stir until combined.

3. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add 4 cups/510 grams of the flour and stir until all of the flour is moistened. Switch to the dough hook, and mix for 5 more minutes. The dough will be soft and billowy, and it will stick to the bottom of the bowl. Add more flour if the dough seems very, very soft.

4. Transfer the dough to a fresh, lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough to coat it with oil, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Alternately, refrigerate the dough before rising for up to 24 hours and proceed with the recipe as written. The rolls may need a slightly longer second rise.

5. Make the filling: Combine the sugar, mashed berries, salt, and lemon zest.

6. Assemble the rolls: Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and butter the pan and paper. Gently deflate the dough by folding it over itself a few times in the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat or roll it into a rectangle about 12-by-16-inches and 1/4-inch thick. Gently spread the soft butter over the dough, and spread the berry mixture mixture evenly over the length of the dough, covering about half the width. Starting at the length with the berries, roll the dough into a tight log. As you roll, the berry filling will spread onto the rest of the dough, so be careful to keep as much of the berry mixture within the dough. Once it’s completely rolled, use a sharp knife or floss to cut the log evenly into 12 pieces.

7. Place the rolls into the prepared pan, cover, and let rise again until doubled in size, about 1 hour. You can also refrigerate the rolls before the second rise for up to 24 hours, if you’d like to bake them later. Let the rolls rise at room temperature until doubled in size before baking.

8. Finish the rolls: Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the rolls are golden and cooked through. While the rolls are baking, make the icing: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the powdered sugar, butter, and heavy cream until smooth.

9. Let the rolls cool for about 5 minutes, then drizzle the glaze on top. Enjoy warm.