Happy Wednesday! And I hope you like cheesecake as I’m in a cheesecake mood these days. After my last recipe, I’ve developed a hankering for cheesecake filled buns with juicy raspberries and strawberries. I don’t normally publish sweet recipes on a Wednesday (a self-protection mechanism mainly 😉 ), but it was a craving I could not shake off.
And then I realised that Duncan was heading off for a two day kayaking trip this morning so I had a perfect excuse to bake. I got to make them, which made me happy, and he and his fellow kayakers will get a nice treat after a long day on the river – everyone wins. I hope they go down well. They are one many traditional Polish bakes I grew up on, alongside their plain versions and bilberry filled rolls. They remind me of summers back home and I am feeling a little nostalgic and homesick lately, perhaps because I have not been able to see my mom for a year and a half now, so I thought I would make something that transports my senses back home. It did smell like a bakery here when they were in the oven last night. These fluffy rolls are really simple to make and very portable – perfect for a picnic or a trip. They are delicious with a cup of strong black coffee or on their own. In Poland, they often work as a ‘on the go’ breakfast, our equivalent of a French croissant if you like. Not the healthiest, I’ll admit, but darn tasty! The filling is really versatile – they can be topped with any berries you like or anything a little tart like sour cherries, rhubarb or even gooseberries will work well with the sweet cheesecake filling underneath. Just keep sourness of your fruit in mind when seasoning the filling with lemon juice. I like my filling with quite a decisive tang but if you don’t simply replace some of the lemon juice with plant milk to your preference. Also, they are not meant to be doughnut-sweet, but if that’s what you prefer feel free to add more sugar to my recipe – your call. I hope you’ll enjoy them if you decide to give them a go.
135 g / 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for minimum 20 minutes 1 lemon, zest + 2-4 tbsp juice (I like 4 tbsp)* 2 tsp vanilla extract 80 ml / 1/3 cup maple syrup or sugar (see method) 80 ml / 1/3 cup plant milk, if using sugar 15 g / 1 heaped tbsp mild coconut oil or vegan butter 150 g / 5.25 oz ripe berries
*FAT: for a softer & more indulgent result, you can add more coconut oil / vegan butter into the dough – traditional recipes use closer to 50 g / 4 tbsp but I don’t think that’s necessary. *LEMON JUICE: adjust to taste but be sure to compensate for with plant milk if using less than 4 tbsp.
