Long before cinnamon roll shop franchises became the gleam in corporate America`s eye, moms were sprinkling cinnamon and sugar on coffee cakes and rolls. It`s that home-baked goodness that the major cinnamon roll shops have tried to emulate.
That goodness is not hard to make at home. First, we dug through our files at The Tribune for a recipe for the basic giant cinnamon classics pictured on the cover. Then we challenged JeanMarie Brownson, test kitchen director, to develop a recipe for the mammoth buns being sold in cinnamon roll shops. Finally, for those who want cinnamon rolls in the morning but don`t want to get up before dawn, we have a recipe for buns that can be prepared the day before, refrigerated overnight and baked the next day.
Sugar–white granulated, brown and confectioners` sugar in the icing–is one of the predominant ingredients.
So, too, is cinnamon. In fact, it`s the seductive aroma of warm cinnamon that lures customers into the cinnamon roll shops in closed shopping malls.
Cinnamon, the inner bark of an evergreen that dries to form concentric rolls or quills, is a popular spice that people can`t seem to get enough of. It shows up in as many savory dishes as it does sweet, with the majority of the spice coming from Ceylon.
In ancient times cinnamon flavored wines and was worth its weight in gold. The Greek historian Herodotus claimed, ”Cinnamon grows where Bacchus was nourished.” Cinnamon earned mention in the Bible. And after Magellan`s discovery of the Spice Islands, it became one of the most widely used spices in Europe.
Now, the velvety flavor of cinnamon appears in English apple pie, Danish pastry, Italian vinegar, Indian curries and in these recipes for cinnamon rolls.
BASIC GIANT CINNAMON ROLLS
Six giant rolls
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Rising time: 2 1/2 hours
Baking time: 30 minutes
Dough:
4 cups all-purpose flour, about
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
Cinnamon filling:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
5 tablespoons melted butter
Confectioners` sugar glaze; recipe follows
1. For dough, mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast in large bowl. Heat milk, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter and salt in small saucepan just until warm (115 to 120 degrees). Stir constantly until butter almost melts. Add to yeast mixture; add egg. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping bowl. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. By hand, stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
2. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Shape into ball.
3. Place in lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch down; turn out onto floured surface. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
4. For cinnamon filling, mix sugars and cinnamon. Brush a 9-inch round cake pan, at least 2 inches deep, with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter.
5. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to a thin rectangle that is about 12 by 20 inches. Brush dough generously with melted butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon mixture. Roll up jellyroll fashion starting at one 12-inch end. You should end up with a fat log that is 12 inches in length.
6. Cut rolls at 2 inch intervals, using the following method: Place a piece of thread under the rolled dough and pull up and around sides. Crisscross thread at top, then pull quickly. (Using the thread to cut the dough eliminates applying pressure with a knife, which would squash rolls.)
7. Put rolls, cut side up (so the cinnamon spiral shows) in buttered pan. Drizzle any remaining melted butter over all. Let rise, covered, in warm place for 20 minutes.
8. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake rolls until puffed and golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Unmold and drizzle with confectioners` sugar glaze. Serve warm.
GIANT CINNAMON ROLLS WITH BUTTER AND CINNAMON CANDIES
Six giant rolls
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Rising time: 2 1/2 hours
Baking time: 30 minutes
Dough:
4 cups all-purpose flour, about
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
Cinnamon filling:
3 tablespoons each: granulated sugar, light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons red cinnamon candies, finely chopped
1 teaspoon flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons cold butter
Confectioners` sugar glaze; recipe follows
1. For dough, mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast in large bowl. Heat milk, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter and salt in small saucepan just until warm (115 to 120 degrees). Stir constantly until butter almost melts. Add to yeast mixture; add egg. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping bowl. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. By hand stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
2. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Shape into ball.
3. Place in lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch down; turn out on floured surface. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
4. For cinnamon filling, mix sugars, cinnamon, chopped cinnamon candies and flour. Brush a 9-inch round cake pan, at least 2 inches deep, with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter.
5. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to a thin rectangle that is about 12 by 20 inches. Brush dough generously with melted butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon mixture.
6. Put half a tablespoon pat of butter at 1-inch intervals along one 12-inch end of the dough. (The idea is to have a pat of butter in the center of each cinnamon roll.) Roll up jelly-roll fashion starting at the 12-inch end containing the butter. You should end up with a fat log that is 12 inches in length.
7. Cut rolls at 2-inch intervals, using the following method: Place a piece of thread under the rolled dough and pull up and around sides. Crisscross thread at top, then pull quickly. (Using the thread to cut the dough eliminates applying pressure with a knife, which would squash the rolls.)
8. Put rolls, cut side up (so the cinnamon spiral shows) in buttered pan. Drizzle any remaining melted butter over all. Let rise, covered, in warm place for 20 minutes.
9. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake rolls until puffed and golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Unmold and drizzle with confectioners` sugar glaze. Serve warm.
CONFECTIONERS` SUGAR GLAZE
For 6 giant rolls
Preparation time: 5 minutes
1 cup confectioners` sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Half-and-half
1. Sift sugar into bowl. Stir in vanilla and enough half-and-half to make a medium-thick glaze. Use immediately. Glaze can be applied to hot rolls; it will melt and add a translucent sheen to the rolls. Or apply to warm rolls for a glazed appearance.
The following cinnamon rolls can be assembled the night before serving and refrigerated. While the oven preheats, let the rolls stand at room temperature, then bake for a quick breakfast treat.
REFRIGERATOR CINNAMON ROLLS
One dozen rolls
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Rising time: 1 1/2 hours
Refrigerating time: Overnight
Baking time: 30 minutes
Dough:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup margarine
2 packages dry active yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 eggs, beaten
4 1/2 cups flour, about
Cinnamon filling:
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
6 tablespoons melted butter
1. For dough, heat milk to simmer. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar, salt and margarine; cool to lukewarm. Sprinkle yeast over warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar in large bowl; let stand until bubbly. Stir in milk mixture, beaten eggs and half the flour. Beat until smooth.
2. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
3. Place in lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hour. Punch down; turn out onto floured surface. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
4. For cinnamon filling, mix sugar and cinnamon. Brush a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with melted butter.
5. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to a thin rectangle. Brush dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon mixture. Roll up jelly-roll fashion starting at the narrow end.
6. Cut rolls at 1 1/2-inch intervals, using the following method: Place a piece of thread under the rolled dough and pull thread up and around sides. Criss-cross thread at top, then pull quickly. (Using the thread to cut the dough eliminates applying pressure with a knife, which would flatten the pinwheel.)
7. Put rolls, cut sides up, in the prepared pan so that the spiral shows. Drizzle any remaining melted butter over all. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
8. Next morning, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, let rolls stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
9. When oven is heated, bake rolls until puffed and golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Unmold and drizzle with confectioners` sugar glaze (recipe above). Serve warm.
CINNAMON BUNS GET NEW TWISTS
Following are some cinnamon roll baking tips:
— Have a favorite sweet yeast dough recipe that you want to prepare ahead and refrigerate before baking? Double the quantity of yeast used.
— Consider adding a teaspoon of grated lemon or orange rind to the yeast dough.
— For more goo on those rolls, melt butter in the baking pan (about 3 tablespoons in an 8-inch pan) then sprinkle about 1/4 cup brown sugar on top of the butter.
— Zip up the confectioners` sugar glaze: Use lemon juice instead of milk; or whip in some softened cream cheese.
