"Sorry--It's Still Summer!" Cinnamon Rolls (Raspberry Cheesecake Rolls w/Lemon Frosting)

[bubblebubba]

Pumpkin, apple, cinnamon, and pecans are flooding the food blog-o-sphere these days. Thankfully, berries are still in full swing here and fighting back hard. Not that I don't absolutely love season-appropriate recipes, but if it feels like summer (or even if it doesn't and you love to dream), why not bake summery, too?



I made these for Julie's cinnamon roll challenge over at Willow Bird Baking--you can find the link to her challenge, as well as more photos and anecdotal cures, over here!

No matter where you are in the world, enjoy that "summer"!

“Sorry, Sir-Still Summer!” Cinnamon Rolls (Raspberry Cheesecake Rolls with Lemon Icing)Yield: 6 cinnamon rollsBase recipe adapted from AllrecipesFor the dough:

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons  (or half an average packet) dry active yeast
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 2 1/2 tablespoons margarine, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

How to make the dough:

1. Heat up milk in saucepan until warm enough that you can comfortably dip your finger in for a few seconds without scalding yourself. Transfer to a large bowl and dissolve white sugar. Stir in yeast and allow to sit in a warm spot for 10 minutes. This is the proofing step-your mixture should foam slightly and give off a “bread-y” smell. (If it doesn’t, your yeast is no longer active, so you might have to toss it out and try again.)
2. Mix in melted margarine and salt. Add flour gradually and stir in until a dough forms. Turn out onto lightly floured board and knead by pulling dough away from your body, then folding it back in on itself. Rotate dough a quarter of a turn after each pull. Knead until pressing two fingers gently into dough creates two indentations that hold their shape-then you’ll know that your dough is smooth, elastic, and ready to go!
3. Place into a well-greased bowl and cover with damp towel. Place in a warm spot and allow dough to rise for about an hour, or until doubled in size.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Turn out onto lightly-floured board and punch down dough. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Roll out dough into a 9×13″ rectangle and spread filling evenly over dough (see below). Starting from one of the short ends, roll up dough until it forms a tight spiral. Be careful not to push too hard though, or your filling will spill out! Cut into six even pieces and place them seam-side up in a greased 9″ baking pan. Place in a warm place and allow dough to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
5. Bake cinnamon rolls in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and immediately pour glaze over hot rolls so that it melts into the dough; allow rolls to cool slightly before spreading on frosting (see below).

For the filling:

• 6 oz. cream cheese, softened (you’ll be using the other 2 oz. for the icing, so keep it handy)
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup raspberry preserves, adjusted to taste
• Splash of vanilla

To make filling: Whip cream cheese in a medium bowl until creamy. Add preserves and vanilla, then stir until mixture is fluffy. Spread onto dough (step 4, above).

For the glaze (to pour over rolls while hot):

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Splash of vanilla extract

To make glaze: Combine all ingredients and stir until it forms a thinnish glaze. (Feel free to add more lemon juice or powdered sugar as necessary to adjust the consistency.) Pour over cinnamon rolls immediately after they come out of the oven to allow glaze to soak into dough.

For the frosting:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
• Splash of vanilla extract

To make frosting: Whip cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix until your frosting is fluffy; add more sugar or lemon juice as necessary to reach desired consistency. Spread over warm rolls immediately before serving.