My first recipe! Whoo I guess this makes me a true "momblogger" now right?! So truth be told I'm really not a good cook. I have the ability to make food edible, but it never really tastes what some might consider great. When it comes to baking my ability is a smidgen better. Well it is when I follow recipes. I am notorious for skipping steps and/or ingredients due to lack of being able to execute the step, or lacking the ingredient. Five times outta ten what I make turns out. And three times outta ten it looks horrid, but tastes great. Also I'm not great at statistics either. In case you didn't catch that.
So one day while watching one of the many baking shows that I adore, mainly because those who can't do binge baking shows, and thought damn I want cinnamon rolls. Not those pre-made ones you get from the store, or the ones that are already prepped you just pop them in the over. I have made those the last few times we ate cinnamon rolls and their bit of novelty wore off. So I turned to the intranets to find a recipe that I might be able to execute in a semi decent fashion. By goodness the internet delivered and I found a recipe. I've made it about 4 times and after some trials without many errors I tweaked it to my personal liking and voila! In case you're wondering my liking with with lots and lots of filling. So here we go! This recipe I'm posting is with my edits but the original can be found on tasty.com
Ingredients:
For the dough
2 cups of warm milk (100-110 °)
1/2 cup sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (one stick)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
5 cups all-purpose flour (not all at once)
1 teaspoon baking power
2 teaspoons salt
For Filling:
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
3 sticks butter, softened
4 tablespoons cinnamon
For Icing:
4 oz cream cheese softened and cubed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
First up, obviously, is the dough. Warm up the milk. Although I usually substitute diary for almond milk I chose to follow the recipe and got whole milk. You'll need a thermometer to check the temp of the milk. It should be between 100-110 ° because anything warmer than that will kill your yeast. Warm milk, melt butter, and combine with sugar in a large bowel.
Then sprinkle the yeast over top. Feel free to give it a gentle mix with a spoon, but not too much. Then cover and set aside for around 10 minutes letting the yeast "bloom"
2. Add 4 cups of flour to the mixture ( wait to use the last cup until later). Mix until just incorporated. This is best when done by hand using a wooden spoon. Once mixed cover with towel or cling wrap and set aside for 1 hour to rise in a warm place.
3. Prep the pans for baking using round pans and using butter to prep. A tip I learned is to use the wrappers from the butter used in the recipe and wipe the pans with it. Keeps hands a little cleaner and butters the pans enough so the rolls won't stick.
4. The next logical step, killing that hour of time, is to mix the filling. I used my stand mixer for this, otherwise you'll be mixing for awhile. Take the ingredients for the filling, throw in mixer, let it go until combined. If you don't like lots of filling just cut the measurements in half.
5. Once that hour has passed your dough should have doubled in size. Here you add that final cup of flour and the baking powder, mix until combined. Remove from the bowel onto a clean (duh) lightly floured surface. Try not to over flour. You should only need about a quarter cup more for the ability to roll and knead the dough.
6. Knead the dough. You should do this for around 10 minutes in whatever fashion of kneading you prefer. Eventually the dough should make a sticky sound without actually sticking to the surface and will become smooth. If it takes longer than 10 minutes just keep going. If you don't know how to knead I recommend YouTube.
7. Using your fingertips push down into the dough to help create a rectangular shape. Then on a lightly floured surface proceed to roll the dough out. I don't use exact measurements I just roll until it all looks even and I feel is long enough. Remember to roll the dough starting in the center.
8. With the dough rolled out to your liking time to add the filling. I use a tool for making bread, it's easiest to use something kinda flat to help spread the filling across the dough. I start by putting blobs all around and then smearing it. It's also kinda fun.
9. Roll this bad ass pastry up. I don't wanna say this is hard, it's just something you do. Get your forearm in there if it helps keep it even.
10. Next get your floss. Seriously. Cut a really long piece of dental floss and use it to "cut" out the rolls. Side note the first and last roll will be total shit, but we'll get to that.
11. Place rolls in previously prepared pans, Both should fit about 7 rolls. Cover with towel and set aside for 30 minutes in warm place for the final rise AKA proofing.
12. With the over set at 350 ° throw these bitches in the over for around 30 minutes. They may become really brown on top, but make sure the middle is done.
11. While those bake make the icing. Again I did not mix this by hand I took the easier route and use my stand mixer. I mean I've done this much so far, and those things are expensive so use it! Make sure your cream cheese is cubed and super soft, mix it with the butter, vanilla and milk. Slowly add the powdered sugar. (I have yet to get a non-lumpy icing but it's still fabulous tasting) Also if you don't have vanilla maple syrup or pancake syrup will also work.
12. Once rolls are done allow to cool so that you can eat them without searing off a layer of tongue, but so that they are still gooey and warm. Pour the icing over to your preference and devour.
I would love to tell you a shelf life to these, but they honestly don't last in my house for more than a day. Because they are that GOOD! It takes a few hours from start to finish, but there's plenty of down time just waiting for the dough to rise. After making these 4 times it's definitely easier than the first time I made them. As for calorie count, forget about it. If you are eating these there's no point in pretending they are healthy. This is a feel good food that you just need to relish guilt free. It's a labor of love that everyone can enjoy.
One last note. Those ugly ends that don't really fit in the pan and you wonder what to do with them without wasting them. Well I have a solution. Let your kiddos have them. My kids like to help me bake but this recipe is a little harder to make with them. So my solution is to let them have at it. Two boys, two cinnamon roll ends, and one make shift rolling pin. I allowed them to play with the dough rolling and shaping and even letting them use some flour. They played contently for a long time. Letting you kiddos get involved with what you're doing, although at times is tasking, is a great way to bond and a way for them to learn. In the end these will be the moments that they remember when they're older, and maybe one day they will take those moments and shape their futures with them.
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