Blueberry & Rhubarb Sticky Buns

I'm a sucker for a challenge.  Read 25 books this year - sign me up.  Play table tennis Wii - watch that nunchuck fly.  Race you to the car - ha!  Beat ya!  So, when I watched Julie and Julia and realized that the modern-day foodie blogger decided to cook the entire first volume of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I almost became giddy with the idea.  Julie Child.  French cooking (read: lots of butter!).  Over 500 recipes.  One year to do it all in.  What's not to love?  So, I ran to the computer, hopped onto the Amazon site, and ordered a copy of that puppy.  Boeuf bourgignon.  Ile Flottante.  Sauté de Veau Marengo. Gateau de crepes a la Normande.  Sigh.....  Rognons de Veau Flambés.   Volailles en Escabeche.  Um, marrow?  And veal knuckes?  Ahhh, anyway, doesn't 500 recipes in total equals something like 1.369863 recipes a day?  And really, where am I going to find a partridge at this time of year???  OK.  Scrap that idea.  Sorry, Julia.  But what can I do to soothe the competitive beast lurking within?  I'm still working on that.  So for now, I'm just working my way through my wishlist of recipes.  Here's number 54 - otherwise known as blueberry and rhubarb sticky buns.

Making the dough

Making the filling

 

Preparing the pans

 

 Assembly

 

 

The great fruit roll-up

 

 

 

Ta Da!  Sticky Buns!!!

 

 

 

Blueberry & Rhubarb Sticky Buns (recipe adapted from "Fresh with Anna Olson")

Ingredients

Dough

• 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
• 4 tablespoons warm water
• 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
• 1 egg room temperature
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature

Filling

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 cup fresh or frozen diced rhubarb

Directions

Dough

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water, stir in sugar, and allow to sit for 5 minutes or until frothy.  (I usually leave mine for about 15 minutes).
2. Whisk in milk and egg.
3. Add flour, salt and nutmeg and mix to combine.
4. Add butter and cream cheese and knead in mixer with dough hook for 5 minutes on medium speed.
5. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rest 1 hour in a draught-free place.

Filling

1. Combine butter, sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon. Spoon a tablespoonful of filling into bottom of each cup of a greased 12-cup muffin tin.

Assembly

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a rectangle 1/2- inch thick. Spread remaining filling over the dough, sprinkle with blueberries and diced rhubarb and roll up lengthwise. Slice dough into 12 equal portions and arrange them in muffin tin.
2. Allow to rise for 1/2 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F.
4. Bake 30 minutes, and turn out onto a plate while still warm.