Cinnamon Girl

The other night I attempted to make cinnamon scrolls.
I screwed it up.
This should come as no suprise, since baking has been my weak point for years. I just have no patience for it with its precise measurements and exact cooking times. However, recently I have decided to calm down and do everything step by step and find peace and harmony in the process which has helped me, somewhat.

It's been a hard, rocky road to baking utopia and I was smug with myself as I kneaded the dough, thinking I was on my way to getting there. Cut to a scene a few hours later, buns burning in the oven as I absent mindedly go about my business, blissfully unaware of my rookie error. I angrily threw the blackened jumble into the bin and then sulked for a little bit, angry at myself for wasting a whole punnet of beautiful juicy blueberries that I had so selflessly kept aside, resisting the urge to gulp them all down in one sitting. Then I went to bed, the smell of the burnt bread haunting my dreams.

However, I woke up the next day, bought another punnet of blueberries and went to work on these damn scrolls again. I may be brash but I am determined.
Luckily this time ended in success but here's hoping nothing drastic happens to them while they cool on the kitchen bench... my cat has been known to enjoy sneaking a few bites out of freshly baked goods while no-ones looking.

Cinnamon Scrolls with Blueberries and Walnuts
makes about 12

Dough
3 teaspoons dry yeast
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups plain white flour
2 cups plain wholemeal flour (or use all wholemeal or all white but I like a mixture)

Filling
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon softened butter
2 tablespoons cinnamon
60g whole walnuts, lightly toasted and then broken up into smaller pieces
130g punnet fresh blueberries
Dash of vanilla extract

For the dough place flours, sugar and salt in a deep bowl. Create a well in the centre and crack the two eggs in the middle. Add the melted butter. Mix the yeast into the warm milk and pour into the flour/egg mixture and stir until a big clumpy ball has formed. Remove and place on a floured benchtop. Knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes, adding flour if needed if it becomes too sticky, until an elastic smooth dough is formed.

Place in a bowl, cover with a tea towel and set aside for an hour until it has doubled in size.
Then roll the dough out into a 1/2 cm thick rectangle.

To make the filling mix together the sugar, softened butter, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the whole surface area of the rectangle of dough. Top with the crushed walnuts and blueberries.

Now roll the dough up into a tight log. Cut the log lenthways into inch thick portions and lay out on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Repeat until the dough is used up, making sure to fit each individual piece of log snugly together to help the scrolls hold their shape while baking. Brush with melted butter before cooking.

Bake in a pre-heated 190 degrees celsius oven for about 10-15 minutes. Leave to cool before breaking apart.

Before proving

After an hour