This recipe satisfied an urgent desire to make this amazing, yeasted laminated Danish pastry dough. I’ve made proper puff pastry before, but never a yeasted version so I was super excited to give this a go. I adapted the recipe just slightly, halving it to make just enough for this batch of rolls (and converting it to metric measurements). I love working with yeasted dough for things like this because it’s so soft and pliable, and the texture of the finished product beats pastry hands down, in my opinion.

For the filling, I wanted to use blueberries because the markets are absolutely overflowing with them and they are so good! I thought a sweetened cream cheese would go well with them, and it certainly did balance the berries and pastry well. Not overly sweet, loaded with flavour, these rolls were a huge hit with everyone in the family!

Makes 16

Dough

225g (1 cup) butter, room temperature
40g (scant 1/3 cup) all-purpose (plain) flour

500g (scant 4 cups) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 x 7g sachet (2 1/4 tsp) instant dry yeast
300ml (1 1/4 cups) milk
50g (1/4 cup) granulated (white) sugar
1 tsp salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling

300g (2 cups) fresh (or thawed frozen) blueberries

200g (7 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g (2 cups unsifted) powdered (confectioners’) sugar
65g (1/2 cup) all-purpose (plain) flour

Dough

Use a fork to mix the softened butter with 40g (1/3 cup) flour until well combined. On a large sheet of plastic wrap, use a spatula to spread out butter mixture into a 15 x 25cm (6 × 10”) rectangle. Wrap and refrigerate until firm.

In a large bowl, whisk together 250g (2 cups) of flour and the yeast. In a small saucepan, mix the milk, sugar and salt, and warm over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and the milk reaches 45°C (110°F).

Add the milk mixture, egg and vanilla to the flour and yeast and mix until smooth. Add the remaining flour half a cup at a time, until you have a smooth dough, kneading for at least 5 minutes. It will start out sticky, but it will become soft and smooth as you knead.

Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until it doubles in size, about one hour.

On a lightly floured surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough to a 30 x 50cm (12 × 20”) rectangle.

Place the butter rectangle on one half of the dough and fold the other half over it. Pinch edges of dough together and roll it out again to a 30 x 50cm (12 × 20”) rectangle.

Fold the rectangle in thirds, like a letter, and roll out the dough again to a 30 x 50cm (12 × 20”) rectangle and then fold it in thirds again.

If at any point in the rolling process the dough splits, just brush the split with flour, and if the butter becomes too soft, put the dough in the fridge to chill.

Wrap the dough loosely in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

After chilling for at least 30 minutes, roll it out again to a 30 x 50cm (12 × 20”) rectangle, fold in thirds, roll again and fold again.

Chill for at least another 30 minutes wrapped in plastic or overnight in an airtight container before shaping the dough and baking it.

Filling and baking

Line a large sheet pan or baking tray with parchment.

Wash and dry the blueberries (if fresh).

Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to a rectangle about 30 x 50cm (12 x 20″).

Stir together cream cheese, milk and vanilla until smooth. Whisk together the powdered sugar and flour, then add to cream cheese mixture and stir to combine.

Spread the dough evenly with the cream cheese mixture then sprinkle with blueberries.

Roll the dough from the long edge into a tight log, seam-side down, then cut into 16 equal pieces.

Arrange the rolls cut-side-up on the baking sheet, leaving about 2cm (about 1”) between them.

Cover rolls loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise for about one hour, or until puffed and jostling for space in the pan.

Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F).

Bake in centre of oven for about 30 minutes, until golden.

Keeping the rolls on the parchment (because the filling will still be gooey), remove from the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool. The filling will firm up as it cools.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days (although fresh is best).