Make Sweet Rolls!

Lemon Meringue Pudding Sweet Rolls at that!

I’ve been in a serious bread baking mood. I guess due to the cold weather. Or the fact I just like to bake bread. The house smells HEAVENLY. We’ve eaten our way through four loaves of sourdough like a plague of locusts. I used the last slices for Ham & Swiss Stuffed French Toast. (SPOILER! French Toast Feature coming tomorrow!)

I decided this weekend I wanted to be sweet. And make sweet breads and rolls. Not to be confused with the “other” sweetbreads. Not sure those would make an ideal bread loaf, although it would certainly be interesting.

First, I made a loaf of Blueberry Vanilla bread. We went to run errands while it was baking and I am here to tell you that baking bread is better than Fabreze. I wonder if they would be interested in a Blueberry Vanilla scent. (Note to self, contact Febreze.) I wish we had Smell-o-vision. The aroma hit us as soon as we stepped through the door. Hass looked at me and said, “Good Lord that smells good! I like coming home to this!” I now wonder what the house smelled like before. Maybe I shouldn’t push that issue.

Just bake the bread y’all. If for no other reason than because it smells DEEVINE!  (…And apparently hides whatever your home smelled like before.)

I wanted to make sweet rolls too, but the typical flavors just weren’t rocking my world. So as I was perusing my pantry, I came across a Jello Lemon Meringue pudding snack pack. SQUEALS!  Hmmm….I just wonder how that would taste in a sweet roll? We were about to find out.

They say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I usually just add vodka. (Shocker there!) But from here out, I’m making these sweet rolls baby!

Lemon Meringue Pudding Sweet Rolls

Bread Ingredients:

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp. butter or shortening
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 package yeast
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. vanilla
• 1 tbsp. Almond extract – *optional
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest

Filling/Topping: 

• 1 block cream cheese or Neufetchel cheese
• 3 containers Jello Snack Pack Lemon Meringue Pudding
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice or lemon extract
• 1 tsp. lemon zest

   

Bread Machine Method:

Proof yeast by placing in the warm water and cover for 10 minutes or until foamy. Place all ingredients (wet last) in your bread machine on the dough cycle until ready.

Mix all filling ingredients in stand mixer beginning with cream cheese and sugar, then adding remaining ingredients. Reserve 1 cup of filling for your topping.

Place dough on floured surface. (This make a good bit of dough and you may find it easier to work in two batches by diving the dough in half. Place one half to the side while working with the other half.) Roll dough into a rectangle. Spread a layer of the filling onto the dough and roll into a jellyroll. Gently cut the roll into 8-10, 1 1/2″ slices with a serrated knife.  Place side by side in a greased 13×9 pan. Repeat with second half of dough. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and gently spread with reserved topping/filling. Continue to bake another 10-12 minutes or until rolls are completely baked.

By Hand:

Proof yeast by placing in the warm water and cover for 10 minutes or until foamy. Add all ingredients to your stand mixer with a dough hook and mix until soft dough ball forms, about 10 minutes.

Mix all filling ingredients in stand mixer beginning with cream cheese and sugar, then adding remaining ingredients. Reserve 1 cup of filling for your topping.

Place dough on floured surface. Knead dough for approx. 10 minutes or until glossy. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and allow to rise until doubled in size. Punch down.

Place dough back on floured surface. (This make a good bit of dough and you may find it easier to work in two batches by diving the dough in half. Place one half to the side while working with the other half.) Roll dough into a rectangle. Spread a layer of the filling onto the dough and roll into a jellyroll. Gently cut the roll into 8-10, 1 1/2″ slices with a serrated knife.  Place side by side in a greased 13×9 pan. Repeat with second half of dough. Place in a warm area and let rise again about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and gently spread with reserved topping/filling. Continue to bake an additional 10-12 minutes or until rolls are baked through.

Life is too short to eat ugly food y’all!