Blueberry Crumble Cinnamon Roll

Welcome back everyone to another Instructable post for this week! Today I am sharing with you my blueberry crumble cinnamon roll recipe. There are many gazillion cinnamon roll recipes out there, some are blueberry too, but I would like to share my own take on how you can make bakery-worthy cinnamon rolls at home.

As per usual, I am using my chinese water-roux dough recipe to create an extremely soft and fluffy bread that retains it's moisture, my simple blueberry jam recipe and most importantly, how I roll these large 6-inch individuals rolls. The picture is very deceiving, these buns are the size of a small plate (so do have a friend to enjoy it with you!)

So let's get to it!

Supplies

Some machinery and kitchen tools you will need:

A Stand mixer

Mixing bowls of various sizes

A small pot and pans

Bowls and tupperwares for storage

Large silicone spatula

Small metal spatulas

Baking pans

Parchment paper

Step 1: Activating Yeast & Cooking Water Roux

You will need:

1 packet of Active Dry Yeast

1/4 of warm water

Directions: Bloom and activate your yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water for 10-15 minutes until frothy.

For the water roux:

1/4 of all purpose flour

1/2 cup of cold water

Directions: Pour flour and water into a small sauce pan. Mix the mixture until there are no lumps. Place pan on a stove stop and heat it on low-medium heat. Continuously stir and scrape the bottom of the pan while cooking. As it cooks, it will start to thicken and form a paste.

Once the paste cooks into a large soft lump, remove from heat, place into a bowl to cool. To prevent it from skinning, place a saran wrap or any kind of covering.

Step 2: Make the Dough

Ingredients for the sweet dough:

3 and 1/2 cup of All Purpose Flour

1/2 cup of white granulated sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

1 stick of soften unsalted butter

1 whole egg

1/2 cup of warm whole milk

Cooled water roux

Yeast mixture

Directions:

Place all the ingredients into your stand mixer with a dough attachment. Knead the dough for 15-20 minutes until the dough forms into a soft sticky ball that does NOT cling to the sides. Please note, that this is a very soft dough, I do not recommend that you attempt to knead it into a tight ball. If your dough still notoriously sticks to the sides of the bowl, continue kneading it for another 5-10 more minutes. The dough is very soft but it shouldn't stick.

Once ready, place the dough into an oiled mixing bowl. Cover it with a saran wrap and proof in a warm dark environment for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.

THIS IS MY MY PERSONAL METHOD: I don't use my dough right away! Why??

This recipe is a high-fat dough. Meaning, that the high ratio of fat (the soft butter in the dough) makes the dough impossible to work with. It's simply too soft and sticky to roll. SO. here is what I do.

I place the proof-en dough in my fridge for at least 6 hours-overnight.

This allows the soften fat to cool and harden. And makes the dough EASY to work with. It's basically working with a firm dough without the additional flour (which makes a dry, crumbly bread eww).

Step 3: The Filling

For the Cinnamon Filling:

1 cup of Dark Brown sugar

2 tablespoons of cinnamon (ground/powder)

A pinch of salt

Directions:

In a bowl, add your brown sugar, salt and cinnamon powder and mix it together. Cover with saran wrap and set aside.

For the Blueberry jam:

1 cup of Fresh blueberries (frozen works fine too), 6oz

1/2 cup of sugar (depending on the sourness of your berries)

2 tablespoon of cornstarch

A pinch of citric acid (or 1 tablespoon of lemon juice)

A pinch of salt

(If you are making a double batch or need some for decorating, you will need a total of 1 pint to an 18oz package of blueberries)

Directions:

Pour your blueberries, sugar, salt, citric acid (lemon juice) and cornstarch into a small pot. Crush your berries and mix it together.

Place your pot on the stove and heat it to medium. Cook and stir until it thickens and jammy. Do not overcook it or it will taste like cooked fruit.

If you wish to place some jam on top of your iced buns, do double up the recipe.

Step 4: Crumble (optional)

If you wish to place the pie crust crumble later on, here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup of all purpose flour

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) of soften unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon of salt

2 tablespoon of white granulated sugar

Directions:

Pour and mix all the ingredients together. Mix the butter it into the butter until it forms loose sandy crumbs. Add 2 tablespoon of cold water into the dough and roughly mix it till it form crumbs. Do not over knead.

Step 5: Prepping the Cold Dough

You will need:

You proof-en, chilled dough

Flour (for dusting)

Rolling Pin

Thread (or dental floss)

Pan with parchment paper

Fillings

Directions:

Remove your dough from the fridge. Your dough should be firm.

Dust your working surface and rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking.

Plop your dough unto your floured surface.

Step 6: Rolling & Shaping

Roll out your dough roughly into a vertical shape. I have learnt that if you do it vertically, you will get more swirls on your bun. Try your best to shape the dough into a rectangle, you can use your hands to pull the edges to form 90 degree angles on the corners. The dough is well-rested and is very easy to work with, so feel free to tug around.

Then expand your rectangle and roll into these dimensions: 15 inches (width) by 17 inches (height).

Then, measure two inches off from the top (height), and roll it twice as thin. This will be the edge of the bun.

The reason why we are doing this, is because we are making individual rolls, not a typical 9 by 13 pan method.

The ultra thin edge will help serve two purposes:

1) It acts as a safety runway/dam for any excess jam to flood to.

2) These edges will help wrap around the buns and prevent the buns from unravelling during baking. We don't want buns with tails sticking out, it's unsightly.

Step 7: Time to Fill

Scoop some blueberry jam onto the dough. But do not place any jam on the thin edges, remember that is a safety dam.

Spread the jam and make sure to cover all the areas except for for the safety area.

Then, sprinkle your cinnamon sugar mix over the jam as shown in the picture.

After this, start rolling your dough carefully but tightly. But don't squeeze it too tight that the jam might overflow.

Attempt to roll your dough as evenly and circular as possible. Loosen or tighten as your go.

Once you reach the safety area, dampen it slightly with water using your fingertip. This will help it stick. Then continue rolling it all the way to the finishing edge. Let the seam sit on the bottom.

You will understand that working with a cold firm dough is so much easier than a warm soft dough.

Step 8: Slicing

Using a thread or dental floss, place the thread at the bottom of your roll. Slice the uneven edge, you can either discard the edges or bake it.

Then divide your dough into 6 equal slices. Using your thread, slice the rolls evenly and neatly.

Place each slices 3-4 inches apart on your pan. Then place your pan in a warm dark environment to proof your dough for one-two hours until double in size. I live in Colorado and it's still winter..so mine took almost 2 hours to proof.

Step 9: Make Your Frosting

Ingredients:

1 block of soften, room temperature full-fat cream cheese

1/2 stick of soften unsalted butter

1 pound of confectionery sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract of your choice

2 tablespoon of warm milk (to loosen)

Directions:

Cream your cheese and butter until it is homogenous. Then add in your powder sugar, vanilla and warm milk and continue mixing until it forms a smooth creamy and silky frosting.

If not using it immediately, store in a container with a lid to prevent skinning.

Step 10: Bake

Once the buns have risen and doubled in size, remove from oven and start preheating your oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit.

Once preheated, place your baking pan in the middle shelf and bake for 25-30 minutes until it is light golden brown and the center forms a peak.

Once baked, remove tray from the oven and let it cool it for just 1-2 minute. We want the buns warm but not piping hot as the this might cause the icing to slide off.

Iced each bun as thinly or thickly as you like, I prefer mine more to the thicker side.

Step 11:

Once you have iced all the buns, you're technically done and are welcome to serve these right away!

But if you had made a double batch of blueberry jam and pie crust crumbles for the topping, feel free to scoop a tablespoon and place it on the top and marble it around to create some color contrast. Sprinkle some crumble topping, cinnamon sugar and fresh blueberries and there you go! You're bakery-worthy blueberry pie cinnamon rolls are now complete!

xoxo <3

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