Wild Blueberry Recipe - Sweet Stuffed Rolls

Tiny wild blueberries (genus Vaccinium) take quite an effort to gather in quantity. The bushes may be a few inches off the ground or taller than our heads. Each bush also presents many variations in leaf shape and size, and the quantity of berries is different between bushes. The berries ripen in stages, so you may have to return several times. Wild blueberries tend to grow in very poor, acidic soil, or abandoned open fields where other shrubs are staring to take over. Here is a recipe for a sweet, yeasted roll stuffed with blueberry filling. The roll is soft and scented with vanilla seeds. The recipe makes about 18, and they did not last a day in our house between the three of us.

Sweet Blueberry Stuffed Rolls              makes about 18

Filling:
1 1/2 c. wild blueberries, washed
2 T water
2 T sugar
2 T cornstarch mixed with more water to make a slurry

Dough:
1 tsp. yeast
1/2 c. milk, warmed to 110°
2 c. flour
3 T sugar
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
7 T cold butter, cubed

1 egg, beaten

1. To make the filling place the blueberries, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil.
2. To make the slurry, mix the cornstarch with about 4 T water to make an opaque liquid. Pour this slowly into the berries, stirring constantly. Add just enough to thicken the filling, you will not need it all. Allow the filling to cool to room temperature.
3. To make the dough sprinkle the yeast over the warmed milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
4. In a stand mixer bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt and vanilla together with the paddle. Add the cold butter cubes and mix until crumbly. Add the milk and mix until a dough forms.
5. Change the paddle for the dough hook, and knead the dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
6. Heat the oven to 325° and line a sheetpan with parchment paper.
7. Roll half the dough into a rectangle about 1/4" thick and about 5" x 16". Scoop about 1 T of filling onto the dough in small scoops down the center of the dough the long way, leaving about an inch between the portions. Egg wash the edges of the dough and between the filling portions, and fold it over in half. Cut between the filling portions, to make a small ravioli shaped roll. Press the cut edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
8. Egg wash the tops and cut some small slits in each roll. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until browned.
9. When the rolls have cooled, you can glaze them or sprinkle with powdered sugar.