Matcha and Rose Petal Rolls with Strawberry Glaze

Matcha, matcha, matcha. It's been an interesting journey with you. My first experience with the powdery green tea was at Starbucks at age 15. Fresh faced and new to the Starbucks culture, I was obsessed with those green tea frappuccino things and had one at least once or twice a week on the way home from school. Since then, my experience hasn't been so great. A couple months ago at work, I made myself a matcha latte and was so upset by it, that I had to dump it - something I rarely ever do. As the green milk puddled in the grass next to the coffee cart, I cursed all the Insta pics I've been seeing all these years and convinced myself that all the matcha die hards were delusional. 

Soon after that incident, Sun Potion contacted me out of the blue and asked if they could send me some of their White Dragon Matcha and of course I said yes. Even after my traumatic experience with that latte a few weeks prior, I figured I could try baking with the stuff. First, I made cupcakes, which were pretty awesome (I mean, it's a cupcake with frosting and sprinkles, of course it was). Then, the idea of making cinnamon buns came to and now, I'm sold. Connor and I even did a side by side comparison with Sun Potion's matcha and another brand, and Sun Potion's was far superior. Not saying that I'll be drinking the stuff with breakfast every morning, but I'll certainly be adding it to my cooking from now on!

Thank you to Sun Potion for the matcha!! 

When using rose petals in this recipe, make sure you have ones that haven't been sprayed. Most store bought roses are not meant for consumption, as quaint as they may be. 

INGREDIENTS 

DOUGH

1 cup milk, warmed
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp matcha powder
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tsp salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

CINNAMON, ROSE FILLING

1 1/2 packed cups raw sugar
2 tbs cinnamon powder
1/2 tbs cardamom powder
1 1/2 cups fresh rose petals
1/2 cup melted butter

STRAWBERRY ICING

1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced in halves
1/2 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners sugar

METHOD

DOUGH

Mix warm milk and yeast together and let it rest till it begins to bubble. Slowly add in remaining ingredients and mix until a soft sticky dough forms. Pour dough onto a floured surface and knead for about ten minutes. Place in a clean, bowl and let rest until the dough has doubled in size. I left mine out to rise overnight. 

Once the dough has risen, pour back onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a large rectangle shape (about 1 1/2 to 2 feet long). 

FILLING

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

In a separate bowl, melt butter and mix in cinnamon, sugar and cardamom powder. Spread evenly across the dough. Place rose petals in a line across the center of the dough. 

Tightly roll the dough, starting at the bottom (lengthwise), and roll until you have a log shape. Gently cut dough log into one inch pieces and place in a pan greased with butter. Once all the rolls are comfortably settled into the pan, let the dough rise again for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minute, or until tops are golden brown. 

STRAWBERRY GLAZE

While the rolls are baking, place your hulled and cut strawberries into a small pot with water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Place strawberries and liquid into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour juice into a large mixing bowl and add vanilla extract and one cup of the sugar. Whisk briskly until sugar has mixed in then add the remaining sugar. Add more sugar if icing needs to be thicker. Place in fridge till rolls are done.  

Once done, remove rolls from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Slather with icing and serve. 

Makes 12 rolls

This recipe was adapted from Add A Pinch