Koffiebroodjes (Dutch Coffee Rolls)

It's the 15th of the month, and it's time for this year's first Baking Partners Challenge. Unlike the challenges during the previous year, we only have two recipe choices for this month, both of which are Dutch recipes suggested and tried by Kaveri of Palakad Chamyal. Between the Dutch Apple Tart and Coffee Rolls, I chose to make the latter, the recipe of which was adapted from The Dutch Table. 

Koffiebroodjes or Coffee Rolls are sweet raisin and pudding field pastries that the Dutch love to eat during coffee break. These coffee rolls are covered with a  sweet glaze which can either be made of powdered sugar or apricot jam. I didn't have apricot jam so I used strawberry jam instead. I also didn't have sour cream as called for in the recipe, so I substituted it with cream cheese which I guess made the rolls even yummier! For a more colorful appeal, I used craisins (dried cranberries) instead of raisins. I tell yah, these Koffiebroodjes turned out really good!

I was able to make 30 pcs. from the given amount of ingredients...and guess what, they're all gone by now, considering that I just made them last Monday! Either these are really delicious or my family of 4 are just big eaters! You judge! ;)

Yield 30 pcs. one-inch thick buns
Ingredients:
For the buns:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 package instant yeast
• 1 ¼ cup lukewarm milk
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup craisins

For the cream:

• 1 *3.4oz package French Vanilla Pudding
• 1/3 cup of cream cheese

For the glaze:

• 4 Tbsp Strawberry Jam
• 2 Tbsp warm water

Instructions:

1. Soak the craisins in warm water and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.

2. In a wide bowl, add the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Mix well with hand. Add the butter and the vanilla. Mix well again. Now add the milk little at a time and knead into a smooth dough. Cover and proof for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

3. In the meantime, mix the pudding with half the required amount of liquid. Stir in the cream cheese.

4. Once the dough has proofed, punch the dough and knead again for few minutes. Divide the dough into 3 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each dough into a square, about 12x12 inches in size. Spread the vanilla pudding, leaving an inch on all sides. Sprinkle the soaked craisins over the pudding. Roll the dough to form a cylindrical shape. Place the seam down and cut the roll into equal slices of about an inch or inch and half. Place the slices on a lined baking sheet. Cover and proof for another 20 to 30 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 350F. Brush the rolls with butter and bake them until golden brown, around 25 minutes. For the glaze, mix the jam with warm water and brush the rolls after taking them out of the oven. Brush them again, when they have slightly cooled. Serve warm with a cup of coffee or your favorite drink.