Roasting fresh strawberries intensifies their flavor, and makes a sticky-sweet filling in these rolls. In addition to lending great flavor to the dough, cream cheese makes them unbelievably tender and fluffy.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
To make the filling: Wash and trim the top of the strawberries to remove their leaves. Toss the strawberries in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Spread the berries in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes for fresh, or 40 to 45 minutes if baking from frozen. The berries will collapse somewhat and give up their juices. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes on the pan.
Scrape the berries and any liquid from the pan into a medium bowl. With a fork or potato masher, break up the berries until they're in 1/4" to 1/2" chunks. Mix together the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the ClearJel and cinnamon and sprinkle over the roasted berries. Stir well. Add the orange zest and stir. Set aside.
To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Place the milk, cream cheese, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 90 seconds, or until lukewarm. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the sugar, egg, yeast, salt, and flour. Mix and knead to make a soft dough, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The dough should eventually bounce back when you give it a poke.
Cover the dough and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until almost doubled and puffy-looking.
To assemble: Turn the risen dough out and pat it into a 16" x 12" rectangle on a piece of parchment; the parchment will both help you roll the dough into a log, and transport it to its pan. Spread the strawberry filling over the dough, leaving a 1/2" strip along one long edge uncovered.
Starting with the filling-covered long edge, roll the dough into a log, pinching the seam to seal it. Refrigerate the log for 30 minutes; this will help set the filling, making the log easier to slice.
Slice the log into 12 equal pieces; a piece of dental floss, looped around the log and ends pulled in opposite directions, makes a nice clean cut. Place the rolls, cut side up, in a greased 9" x 13" pan.
Cover the pan with plastic and let rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until puffy-looking. While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Uncover the rolls and bake them for 28 to 30 minutes, until they're a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven and cool to lukewarm on a rack.
To make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar together until smooth, with no lumps remaining. Add the vanilla, then the milk (or cream) 1/2 teaspoon at a time until the frosting is spreadable but still thick. Spread or pipe over the rolls while they're still slightly warm.
Store any leftover rolls, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Freeze for longer storage.
To use frozen berries, thaw them first (the microwave works fine) and drain off the excess juice before weighing out and roasting.
