harvest cinnamon rolls

 

 
recipe by Linda Stadley 

Makes 15 Cinnamon rolls. 

Ingredients
1 cup milk (heated approximately 1 minute in microwave)
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F.)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature and beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 cups bread flour
3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast 





Method
1. Put dry mixture in a large bowl Add the liquid ingredients, butter, and egg. Mix with a knife until it starts to come together into a rough dough. Turn out on to a lightly oiled bench top and knead until elastic - roughly 10 minutes.
2. Place back into the large bowl - cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.
3. After dough has rested, roll and stretch the dough into approximately a 15 x 24-inch rectangle. I haul out the measuring tape for this and try to make the edges as even and straight as possible, this makes it easier when you come to roll it up.
4. Brush the 1/2 cup softened butter (in the Cinnamon Filling) over the top of the dough with a rubber spatula or a pastry brush. Sprinkle Cinnamon Filling over the butter on the prepared dough. Starting with long edge, roll up dough; pinch seams to seal. NOTE: Rolling the log too tightly will result in cinnamon rolls whose centres pop up above the rest of them as they bake.
5. With a knife, lightly mark roll into 1 1/2-inch section and then slide a 12-inch piece of dental floss or heavy thread underneath. I like to make mine slightly smaller than this and get 17 rolls, I bake 12 in a rectangular pan and 5 in a small square pan.
6. Place cut side up in prepared baking pan, flattening them only slightly. The unbaked cinnamon rolls should not touch each other before rising and baking. Do not pack the unbaked cinnamon rolls closely together.
7. Cover and let rise in a warm place for approximately 45 to 60 minutes or until doubled in size (after rising, rolls should be touching each other and the sides of the pan).
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F or 180C and bake for 20-25 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Spread icing while still warm - they’re best served at this point. They are still fine at room temperature though if there are any left to cool down that long


Cinnamon Filling
1/2 cup butter, melted or softened
1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
5 heaped tspns ground cinnamon
3/4 to 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Make cinnamon filling and set aside. 
Soften the butter; set aside. In a bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon; stir in chopped nuts (optional). You might like to sift the brown sugar and cinnamon to make sure you don’t have any large lumps.


I omit this frosting and I just used icing sugar glaze : dilute icing sugar with a little bit of water and drizzle on buns.


Make Cream Cheese Icing and set aside.
Cream Cheese Icing
2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add icing sugar, vanilla extract, until well mixed and creamy. Use the icing at room temperature.