Strawberry Rolls with Vanilla Glaze

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Filling:

•  1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped into tiny pieces
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• For the Dough:
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus extra for dusting
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
•  2 1/4 teaspoons instant dry yeast (1 standard package)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup milk (I used almond milk here but any milk should work fine)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
•  1 large egg, at room temperature

For the Vanilla Glaze:

• 1 cup of confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons of milk OR heavy cream, more if needed to achieve desired consistency

Instructions

To make the Strawberry Filling:

1.  Place the chopped strawberries in a small saucepan over medium-heat. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring constantly, or until the strawberries are very soft and their juices have been released. Add in the sugar and cornstarch and continue to cook - and stir - for another 1-2 minutes. The mixture will thicken up dramatically during this time. Remove pan from heat and transfer the filling into a small bowl. Chill filling completely before use.

To make the Dough:

1. In a large bowl combine 2 1/4 cups of the flour, the granulated sugar, salt, and yeast; mix well to evenly combine. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the water, milk, and butter until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is hot to the touch but not scalding (it should be between 110-115 degrees F). Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture. Add in the egg, then add in at least 1/3 of additional flour. You may need to add up to 1/2 cup of additional flour. Your dough is at the right consistency when it gently pulls away from the side of the bowl and is slightly elastic in consistency.
3. Scoop the dough out and transfer it to a lightly floured work surface; gently knead the dough by hand for 3 minutes. Lightly spray a clean bowl with non-stick spray, then set the ball of dough inside. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 20 minutes.
4. After the 20 minutes have passed, roll the dough out into a 14x8" rectangle. Spread the cooled strawberry filling on top, leaving a 1" boarder around the edges. Roll the dough up tightly along the edge (jellyroll/cigar style), letting it rest on the seem. Cut the roll into 10-11 pieces (I got exactly 11), then arrange them in a lightly greased 9" round or square baking dish. Loosely cover the rolls with plastic wrap and set them in a warm, draft-free place to rise for 1 1/2 hours.
5. Once the rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F). When the oven comes to temperature, bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes, or until slightly browned. After 15 minutes, you'll want to rotate the pan in the oven and cover the rolls with aluminum foil, to avoid heavy browning.

To make the Vanilla Glaze:

1. In a small bowl combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and cream; whisk until smooth, adding more cream as needed to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over the rolls right before serving.
2. Unglazed rolls can be frozen for up to 2 months.

This article and recipe adapted from this site