Cinnamon Rolls

In the fall of 2019, we had a fundraiser at church, and my late friend Alisa brought her relative over to help us make it. She was a real pro. That day we baked 16 dozen buns. I was so excited that I got home and make four dozen rolls that evening and shared it with my friends and neighbours. I have used different recipes, since then, and this is a concoction of many recipes and has worked well for me.

Serves : 12 buns

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE FLOUR PASTE: Whisk milk and flour together in a small bowl until no lumps remain. Microwave, whisking every 30 seconds, until mixture thickens to stiff, smooth, pudding-like consistency that forms mound when dropped from end of whisk into bowl, 60 to 90 seconds.

FOR THE DOUGH: Add flour, yeast, milk, eggs, sugar, salt and flour paste. Fit stand mixer with dough hook and mix on low speed until all flour is moistened, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-low speed for 15 minutes.

Add butter. Continue to mix on medium-low speed for 5 minutes longer, The dough should form into a nice ball and it should pull out from the sides. The dough will be slightly sticky. 

Let dough rise until just doubled in volume, 90 minutes to 120 minutes.

FOR THE FILLING: Combine melted butter, brown sugar, bread flour, cinnamon and salt into a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is a texture of damp sand. Set aside

FOR ASSEMBLING : Line a  13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with aluminum foil and let the foil form a sling. Spray it with vegetable oil spray.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured counter. Pat and stretch dough to form 18 by 15-inch rectangle with long edge nearest you.

Sprinkle filling over dough, leaving 1-inch border along top edge; smooth filling into even layer with your hand, then gently press mixture into dough to adhere.

Roll dough into cylinder.  Mark gently with knife to create 12 equal portions. Slice cylinder into 12 portions and transfer, cut sides up, to prepared baking pan.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until buns are puffy and touching one another, 60 minutes to 120 minutes. (Buns may be refrigerated immediately after shaping for up to 24 hours. To bake, remove baking pan from the refrigerator and let sit until the buns are puffy and touching one another, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.)

FOR BAKING : Adjust oven rack to lower-middle positions and heat oven to 370 degrees.

Bake buns until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Until the center of dough registers at least 190 degrees (Tent with aluminum foil if the tops are golden brown and the dough is not cooked).

Let buns cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes.

Brush the rolls with melted butter. 

Carefully release the pan using the sling and let buns cool on the wire rack for 5 -10 minutes.

FOR THE ICING: Combine cream cheese, heavy cream, vanilla, confectioners sugar and  salt in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth. 

Ice the rolls and serve immediately. [Store icing at room temperature, tightly covered, until you’re ready to use it.]

Top buns with ½ cup glaze; cool 10 minutes.

Add remaining glaze, caramel sauce (if you have) and toasted chopped pecans and enjoy.