Cinnamon Rolls Two Ways

February 27, 2012 in Breakfast, Cassie, kid friendly, Sweets, Yeast dough

I have two problems. One is that I have an obsession with baking. The other is that I hate to choose just one thing to bake. I also enjoy eating what I bake too much. OK, so that’s three problems.

I recently made two giant cinnamon rolls courtesy of Mel’s Kitchen Cafe, and they were wonderful, but it felt more like a cake, therefore a treat, and therefore, it had to wait until after dinner to be eaten. (I know, I know. But those are the rules in the house.)
But, I figured, why not try to bypass the rules? Who cares if it’s a rule I made anyhow?
I can be such a killjoy.
And honestly, is there anything better than a yeasty, soft, doughy cinnamon roll? I think not.
This recipe requires buttermilk, but, if you’re like me and don’t have it handy, you can make your own by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar into plain milk and allowing it to sit for a minute. But before that, you need to let the yeast and warm milk mingle and ferment.
And while they’re becoming fast friends, why not mix together the dry ingredients?
I honestly don’t know where I’d be without my mixer. Sure, it’s my mom’s and she let me borrow it a few years ago, but isn’t that what moms are for?
Because of her generosity, I can use a dough hook and save myself many long minutes of kneading dough. That’s love.
This is going to be a sticky dough. It should almost remind you of taffy being made. Long, tacky, pliable.
And like any good yeast dough, it needs time to rest and rise.
A trick I use, if you’re like me and live in the north where the counters are perpetually cold, place the dough in a greased bowl with a towel on top. Turn on your oven for just a minute, enough to make it feel like south Florida and place the dough in there to rise. (Don’t forget to turn off the oven!)

Is there anything better than rising dough? It’s magical, I swear. But after it doubles in size, it’s time to ruin the magic and punch it down.
I lack the talent to make a perfect rectangle, but you get the idea.
Melted butter and cinnamon. Is this heaven?
Wait….now it’s heaven.
Cinnamon butter, brown sugar and love. Those are the main ingredients.
Think back to the days of play dough and you’re right on track here.
And this is the secret to a fancy cinnamon roll.
Here’s where it gets tricky. One half of the cut rope will be turned into a giant cinnamon roll.
The other half will get cut into 12 equal parts and put into a greased muffin tin.
After rising again, they’re baked to perfection.
And you now have cinnamon rolls done two ways.
Here’s how to do it:

Cinnamon Rolls, Two Ways
recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

INGREDIENTS:
For the dough:
¾ cup warm milk (or 3/4 cup buttermilk)
2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
1 tbs white vinegar (if you are not using buttermilk)
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs
4 ¼ cups flour
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounces) sugar
1 ¼ teaspoons salt

Filling:
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick) melted
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar

Glaze: 
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoon milk

DIRECTIONS:
To make the dough, pour the warmed milk into a measuring cup and sprinkle yeast on top. Let it sit for 5 minutes, or until it appears to be frothy. Once yeast is frothy, add the tablespoon of white vinegar and let sit an additional minute. (If using warm buttermilk, skip adding white vinegar.)Whisk in the butter.

Combine 4 cups of flour, sugar, and salt together in a standing mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the milk mixture and eggs and mix until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes, alternating between the two. I used a paddle attachment for this step. Once it becomes difficult to mix, change over to a dough hook. Increase the mixer to medium speed and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 5-10 minutes (or knead for 10-15 minutes by hand). If after 5 minutes of kneading, the dough is still super sticky, add 1/4 cup flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is more formed, yet tacky. You don’t want it to be sticking to the sides, but you also don’t want a dryer dough.

If you have warm countertops, allow the dough to rest there, covered with a cloth for 2-2 1/2 hours until doubled in size. Otherwise, place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a cloth and allow to rise.

When the dough has risen, punch it down and roll into a 16X12 inch rectangle. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

Melt the butter and mix in the cinnamon. Spread the mixture evenly over the top of the dough. Then sprinkle the brown sugar over top. (I use my hands to break up any large clumps before sprinkling over the dough.) Starting with one of the long edges, roll the dough tightly and pinch the seams shut.

Using a serrated knife, slice the dough in half lengthwise.

If making the giant cinnamon roll, gently take half of the dough and coil it into a round, greased baking pan starting with a tight twist in the center and working outward. Don’t worry if it starts to fall apart a little bit. That happens. Leave enough room at the edges for it to double in size again.

If making the mini cinnamon roll muffins, cut half of the dough into 12 equal pieces and place them into a greased muffin tin in a C shape.

Allow the dough to rise again for another 30 minutes or so until almost double in size.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake the giant rolls for 18-22 minutes, until lightly golden on top and cooked through.

Bake the mini rolls at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes depending on your oven.

As the rolls  bake, whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth. When the rolls are cool enough, drizzle the glaze over top.

Tags: , , ,

1 Comment »