Cranberry Heart Breakfast Rolls

Valentines day is approaching. Why not make something homeade for your sweetheart this year (or just for yourself if you want) by making these cute Cranberry Heart Breakfast Pastries. Sweet yet tart, slightly sticky with a glaze, they're great for a make ahead breakfast in bed.

The recipe makes about 12 or 14 rolls.

Step 1: What You Need

2 Cups Craisins
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 egg white
1/3 cup sour cream
1 Batch of Cinnamon Roll Dough - Enough to usually make 12 cinnamon rolls (Puff Pastry would work really well too, if you wanted it more like a pastry)
1/2 cup powdered Sugar
2 Tablespoons cream

Step 2: Boil Craisins

Add the craisins and white sugar into a pan. Cover them with an inch or two of water. Bring the water to a boil and simmer them for five minutes. The craisins should plump up and get juicy.

Step 3: Blend

Using a slotted spoon, move your craisins into a food processor. Process until smooth, and almost like a jam.

The water left in the pan tastes like a cranberry syrup. I couldn't think of a use for it, but I suppose you could find something to do with it. Maybe a mixed drink of some kind?

Step 4: Spice It Up

Separate an egg. Add the white, nutmeg, sour cream, salt, and lemon extract to the cranberry mix and blend until combined. 

Step 5: Roll the Dough

Roll out the cinnamon roll dough so that it's a nice big triangle.

I've never worried about being precise about how long/wide the dough is rolled out, so I'm not sure how large I did it. Just keep in mind you cut it in about 12/14 rolls, and that the thinner it is the more filling you get.

Step 6: Spread on Craisins

Spread the cranberry mixture all over the surface of the pastry. You can go all the way to the edges, because next you roll it like a scroll, taking one side and slowly rolling it over to the center, and taking the opposite side and rolling it over to meet it.

Step 7: Cut

Cut the log in half, then half again. Keep doing this until you get rolls about 1 1/2 inches wide. Use a serrated knife to minimize smashing the dough to much.

Even so, mine did get smashed down a bit, but it's ok, because you can kind of shape them back up once you put them on the tray. (A cake spatula helps in the moving process)

Once on two lightly greased baking sheets, you can carefully take the bottom edge and pinch it into a point, making it a heart.

Step 8: Rise and Bake

Rise for about an hour. Then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

In the pictures you can kind of see how I angled the pastries so that they weren't facing each other, so that if they rose a lot they wouldn't smash out the heart shape.

If you don't want to do a glaze, you could egg wash them and sprinkle with sugar before baking, and it would be just as good.

Step 9: Glaze

Use a fork to combine the powdered sugar and cream. Drizzle over the rolls.

Step 10: Eat!

Serve for breakfast on Valentines day with a steaming cup of coffee, or any other time and day and yummy beverage you feel like.

I hope you enjoy! Let me know if you make them and how they turn out for you. :)