warm weather people + a recipe for summer fruit cinnamon rolls

Summer Fruit Cinnamon Rolls Filling - Global Dish - Stephanie Arsenault

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}.

Summer Fruit Cinnamon Rolls - Global Dish - Stephanie Arsenault

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.