Wonderful Wednesday Recipe: Springtime Berries ‘N’ Cream Roll-Ups

If I’m not mistaken, this recipe hails from amongst my mother’s collection, though I’ve tweaked it a little over the years. The original suggested that the roll-ups be baked sans berries inside (and to instead top the baked roll-ups with all of the berries), but I much prefer to include most of the berries in the rolls-ups before I slide them in the oven.

This dish works equally well as a sweet – but certainly not cloyingly so – dessert or as a decant breakfast or brunch entrée. While I like to eat it piping hot, you can allow the roll-ups to come to room temperature before serving them, though I feel that they are their finest while still piping warm, the juices from the berries leeching into the soft, lightly toasted white bread.


{Strawberries, such as the ones featured in this old school fruit crate label, make a particularly nice inclusion in this tasty, cream cheese filled recipe, but you can use any variety of berry you fancy. Beautiful vintage illustration for Ozark brand strawberries via Meaghan Courtney’s Flickr stream.}


If you’re fortunate enough to have your own garden, harvest whatever fresh, gorgeous new springtime berries you have on hand. Failing that, I encourage you to seek out ripe, small, luscious organic berries from your local farmer’s market or produce shop. Just about any berry (strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries, blueberries, blackberries, huckleberries, etc) works well here, so let your imagination run wild.


Springtime Berries ‘N’ Cream Roll-Ups

Ingredients

•4 ounces cream cheese, softened (reduced fat cream cheese can be used)

•1/2 cup white sugar, divided in half

•1 egg yolk

•10 slices white bread, crusts removed

•1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

•3 tbsp butter or margarine, melted

•1/2 whipping (heavy) cream, whipped (add sugar and/or vanilla to taste)

•1 1/2 cup (plus a few extra, set aside) fresh springtime berries, such as a mix of strawberries and raspberries, or blackberries and red currants


Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C/gas mark 4).

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese together with 1/4 cup of white sugar, add in the egg yolk and beat until smooth.

Lay out the ten slices of white bread on a flat surface and spread approximately 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture on each slice. Next evenly divide the 1 1/2 cups of berries between the slices of bread and top each piece with an equal quantity. Proceed by rolling each slice of bread up as though it were a jelly-roll, starting with the longer edge. Place the rolled up slices of bread, seemed side down, into a lightly greased 10 inch x 15 inch glass (or ceramic) baking dish, in a single layer.

Lightly brush the top of each bread roll-up with melted butter (or margarine). In a small mixing bowl, combine the cinnamon and remaining sugar and spread evenly (with a spoon or using your fingers) over the buttered tops of the bread roll-ups. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly toasted and gently golden hued.

While the roll-ups are baking (and filling the kitchen with the most inviting, sweet berry scent), whip the cream until light and fluffy, adding sugar (I prefer powdered sugar any time I sweeten whipped cream) and a little pure vanilla extra, if desired. Once prepared set aside in the fridge until needed.

Once the berry roll-ups are done, remove from the oven, allow them to sit in their baking dish for a couple of minutes (to cool off ever-so-slightly) and then transfer to individual serving dishes. Serve one or two roll-ups per person, with a dollop of whipped cream and a few of the reserved berries scattered on top or around the plate.

Eat at once, while the berry roll-ups are still warm and the whipped cream is cold, the two temperatures mingling beautifully together in your mouth.

Makes 5 to 10 servings, depending on if you serve one or two roll-ups per person.

Bon appétit!