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Blueberry and Cream Cheese Buns (In The Oven)

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Today’s post is a double entendre, partially because I like the turn of phrase, the way it rolls seamlessly off the tongue, but mainly because it’s true.

Let’s start with some buns.

♫ My anaconda don’t want none unless you got buns hon. ♫

Wrong buns, and not as open to a welcoming drizzle of fresh icing. Things can get sticky awfully fast.

Blueberries, lemon zest and cream cheese combine to make the ultimate bun.

Today I’m sharing Donna Currie’s  Blueberry and Cream Cheese Buns with Lemon Zest because simply put, they’re AH-Mazing, and it also just so happens to be the one year anniversary of her cookbook, Make Ahead Bread, 100 Recipes for Bake-It-When-You-Want-It Yeast Breads.

Mmm carbs.

Bready, doughy, delicious carbs with an emphasis on things you can make days ahead of time. Since I rather enjoy cooking in phases, this particular book speaks to me almost as much as backsides talk to Anthony Ray. 

Make-Ahead-Bread-cover-w

Now while I do adore my carbs, I will also be the first person to tell you yeast and I are not friends; mostly because we’ve never really been acquainted; certainly not in an intimate one on one setting, which of course means I had to get my hands dirty and take a crack at these buns. That and I couldn’t stop singing.

♫ Dial 1-900 Mix-A-Lot and kick them nasty thoughts. ♫

So this past weekend, I rolled my sleeves up, cracked my knuckles, and then tackled those same buns. I established a relationship with yeast rather quickly too. In fact, I’m pretty sure he got to second base, and I think he liked it.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Buns with Lemon Zest

In the interest of full disclosure, I struggled a bit with this recipe, all due to my own inexperience though. I used whole wheat bread flour instead of the white, light and fluffy kind recommended in the actual recipe.

I also had no idea what kneading entailed, nor did I let the dough rise long enough. In the end, additional flour was sprinkled around my kitchen almost as liberally as my cussing, which is pretty fucking liberal. 

Blueberry Cream Cheese Buns with Lemon Zest B

Despite my many blunders, these buns came out remarkably well. They’re a forgiving sort, even for those not accustomed to yeast (cough, cough, me).

The real star of the show though is the blueberry and cream cheese filling with lemon zest. It is out of this world, lick the beater, good. Truly, it takes these buns to a whole ‘nother level, especially when you finish them off with a light and lemony icing.

♫ She’s sweat, wet. Got it goin’ like a turbo Vette. ♫

Blueberries, lemon zest and cream cheese combine to make the ultimate bun.

Now the important question: Even with my many hiccups, would I do it again?

The simple and short answer is yes, absolutely.

The longer version is I have to thank Donna Currie for giving me the opportunity to try something new. I feel confident and capable enough to tackle yeast now, plus all sorts of other bready deliciousness.

Send in the carbs.

I also learned my hand mixer comes with a dough hook (who knew?) so it will be put to good use, preferably with more recipes from Donna’s Make Ahead Bread cookbook.

Buns - Whole Wheat Blueberry Cream Cheese

Now way back in the beginning of this post, I opened with talk of a double entendre. It’s entirely possible after all my ramblings, you’ve completely forgotten. I get it, I would have forgotten too.

My second point though is there’s another bun in my oven right now.

Pregnancy Test

Literally. Figuratively. Metaphorically. Philosophically.

Whatever way you want to put it, the Hubby is in big trouble.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Buns
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Ingredients
  1. 1 Egg beaten, plus water to equal 1 1/2 cups total
  2. 3 1/2 cups Bread Flour (15 3/4 ounces), plus more as needed
  3. 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
  4. 2 1/4 tsps. Active Dry Yeast
  5. 1/2 cup Instant Mashed Potato Flakes
  6. 1/4 nonfat Dry Milk
  7. 1 Tbsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
  8. 1 1/2 tsps. Kosher Salt
  9. 4 Tbsps. Unsalted Butter
Instructions
  1. ON PREP DAY: Combine all the dough ingredients and knead by hand (mix first in a large bowl and then turn out and knead) or in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, until the dough is elastic. I used my hand mixer outfitted with a dough hook for about five minutes. I should have kept at it a bit longer.
  2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, at least one hour in a warm room. While it had risen some, I should have let mine sit for a second hour. It's chilly here in Cleveland.
  3. Meanwhile, make the filling (see filling recipe below).Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. When the cheese has softened, place it in a small bowl with the sugar, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon milk. Mix well. You need a spreadable consistency, but it shouldn’t be runny. Add more milk, if necessary.
  4. Spray a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking pan with baking spray or grease with butter (I used the latter).
  5. When the dough has risen, flour your work surface and turn out the dough. Pat it into a rough square shape and then use a rolling pin to roll it to about 12 x 16 inches. Spread the cream cheese mixture on the dough in as even a layer as possible. It’s easiest to dollop the mixture on, then spread it in that area rather than trying to spread it all from one large blob. An offset spatula works great for spreading. Leave about an inch of the dough uncovered on one of the long ends.
  6. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly on top of the cream cheese.
  7. Roll the dough, jellyroll style, beginning at the long end opposite the dough you left uncovered. Leave the roll a little bit loose as you go.
  8. Cut the roll into 12 even pieces (each about 1 inch thick) and arrange them cut side up in the prepared baking pan.
  9. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or place the whole pan in a large plastic bag and tie the open end closed. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
  10. ON BAKING DAY: Take the pan out of the refrigerator and heat the oven to 350°F
  11. Remove the plastic from the pan and bake the buns until they are golden brown, about 40 minutes. If you’re not sure the bread is fully baked, insert an instant-read thermometer into the bun dough—not filling; it should read 190°F.
  12. Let the buns cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool.
Notes
  1. Recipe reprinted with permission from Make Ahead Bread.
Clean Eats, Fast Feets http://cleaneatsfastfeets.com/
Blueberry Cream Cheese Buns The Filling
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Ingredients
  1. 8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
  2. 2 Tbsps. Sugar
  3. Zest of 1⁄2 lemon
  4. 1 to 2 Tbsps. Milk
  5. 1⁄4 cup Dried Blueberries
Instructions
  1. Meanwhile, make the filling: Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. When the cheese has softened, place it in a small bowl with the sugar, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon milk. Mix well. You need a spreadable consistency, but it shouldn’t be runny. Add more milk, if necessary.
Notes
  1. Recipe reprinted with permission from Make Ahead Bread.
Clean Eats, Fast Feets http://cleaneatsfastfeets.com/
Blueberries, lemon zest and cream cheese combine to make the ultimate bun.

Here’s a host of other bloggers sharing more recipe from Donna’s cookbook, Make Ahead Bread:

Buttermilk Rolls from Renee of Magnolia Days
Cinnamon Rolls from Sandra of Dear Lauren Love Mom
Pizza Bread from Karen of Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Sesame Seeded Semolina Bread from Karen of Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Sourdough English Muffins from Alisa of Go Dairy Free
Stuffing Bread with Dried Cranberries from Stacy of Food Lust People Love
Sweet Potato Monkey Bread from Kirsten of Farm Fresh Feasts
Sweet Potato Monkey Bread from Renee of Magnolia Days
Sweet Potato Monkey Bread from Laura of Mother Would Know

Warm-Spiced Pumpkin Yeast Bread from Faith at An Edible Mosaic
Whole Wheat Pita from Jenni of Pastry Chef Online
Whole Wheat and Parmesan Pizza Crust from Kirsten of Farm Fresh Feasts

#Blueberries, #lemon zest and #creamcheese combine to make the ultimate #bun.

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#Buns plus a #baby. Holy Sh!t. What has become of #foodblogging?!

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Surprise. We’re having a tiny human. God (Mohammed, Buddha, Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy) help us all.

Comments

  3. Aaaaaaah this is awesome!!!! Congratulations. What an adventure 🙂 🙂 🙂
    I had a feeling this was coming as there have been a few hints but I was totally convinced since your clothes shopping comment on Monday! Let’s pop (juice) bottles 😉
    I am so so so happy for you!

    P.S. The other buns sound good too 😉
    Juli @1000lovelythings recently posted…Healthy Pesto Gnocchi SaladMy Profile

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  6. Congratulations!!!! Personally, I would have included this in your Week in Review: “Hubby and I made a tiny human recently. All in all, a productive week/(month(s))!

    Big hugs! Congrats!

    Reply

  14. Congrats!! *Singing* My Baby Love, My Baby Love…… I bet you are gonna be a crazy fun mom (in a responsible way, of course). Maybe you should LIST all the future ways you will be an awesome mom? 🙂 🙂

    Reply

  22. Youuuuuuu 😀 I feel like I may have already told you this, but you’re going to make an amazing mother and I’m super stoked for you. And I totally agree with a previous commenter that “growing a tiny human” needs to start going into your WiR posts 😛

    As for the yeast… I just can’t. I made cinnamon rolls -once- and it was super stressful. That was 2 years ago and I never tried again 😆 Maybe someday I’ll get around to it…
    Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…. currently – november 2015 .My Profile

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  29. YOU SAUCY SASSY MINX!!!!!! you hot kitty cat you, oh wow, this is simply marvelous news. AB FAB. abso-fucking-lutely marvelous. i’m seriously happy for you. how far along??? i have to ask because we’re baking bread over here as well, wink wink. if we have buns at the same time that would be insanely amazing. i haven’t announced since it’s so early but OMG i can’t get over this news, congratulations to your hubby’s sperm making it in the net, and of course to your ovary, whichever one took it in. do you know which ovary did the magic??? omg i’m seriously shfitzzing over here. i’m a yiddish grandma suddenly
    LOVE YOU!!! and your buns 🙂
    danielle recently posted…Week in Review: work, pack, travel & wedding fun!My Profile

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  31. The important question here is: will the baby have your buns of the hubby’s buns?

    Alright for real- I didn’t think I could adore you any more than i already did. WRONG! I am so incredibly elated over this news!! I truly got the warm and fuzzies all over!

    Reply

  32. I can’t believe you left us hanging until the end of the post! I was speed reading through it just to get to the end! But anyway, congrats guys!!! So unbelievably happy for you!!! You guys are going to be such awesome parents. Like seriously. I’m sure everyone who is expecting gets told that but I can just tell you’re going to be extra wonderful.

    Are you going to find out the gender or leave it a surprise?
    Chelsea @ Chelsea’s Healthy Kitchen recently posted…Chelsea Lately #6My Profile

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  34. Now I am wide awake I can comment! Huge hugs and congratulations again Meghan! I hope you are super excited… Babies scare the crap out of me! Haha!

    Back to other buns… I never ever miss bread or cakes… Until I see sticky buns… Then it’s drool central and it’s all I can think about! And yeast sure needs a huge dose of gluten to be perfect! Eat several for me!
    Jen @ Chase the Red Grape recently posted…Week in Review!My Profile

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  35. Congratulations and what perfect timing! Your buns look beautiful! Speaking, of course, of your sweet ones. Hmmm, even that came out wrong. Let me start over.

    I like the buns you baked with Donna’s recipe. There, I did it. Man, it’s hard to stay on the straight and narrow when the word “buns” comes up!
    Stacy recently posted…Quick Pickled Beet Salad #FoodieExtravaganzaMy Profile

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  41. Wow!! Um… this is amazing. Wonderful. Fantastic. So many adjectives I could use! Congratulations Meghan. I don’t know you very well, but from what I do know, I think you’re going to be an awesome mother. You’ll definitely be one of those “cool moms.” I can see it now… 🙂

    Now you’ll have a little monkey running around pretty soon (I realize the child hasn’t even been born yet, and then after that babies take forever to learn to walk, but I’m fairly confident your kid will be born running… a mini “fast feets” if you will).

    !!! For once I’m kind of struggling with finding enough words, and figuring out what exactly is the right thing to say 🙂 If you ever need a babysitter, I’m willing to make the drive! Haha.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. […] Blueberry & Cream Cheese Buns with Lemon Zest from Meghan of Clean Eats, Fast Feets Buttermilk Rolls from Renee of Magnolia Days Cinnamon Rolls from Sandra of Dear Lauren Love Mom Pizza Bread from Karen of Karen’s Kitchen Stories Sesame Seeded Semolina Bread from Karen of Karen’s Kitchen Stories Sourdough English Muffins from Alisa of Go Dairy Free Stuffing Bread with Dried Cranberries from Stacy of Food Lust People Love Sweet Potato Monkey Bread from Kirsten of Farm Fresh Feasts Sweet Potato Monkey Bread from Renee of Magnolia Days Sweet Potato Monkey Bread from Laura of Mother Would Know Whole Wheat Pita from Jenni of Pastry Chef Online Whole Wheat and Parmesan Pizza Crust from Kirsten of Farm Fresh Feasts […]

    Reply

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