As per my sister’s suggestion (yes, she really does go by j-lo quite often….legitimately too. heh.) I will tell you about my Cinnamon Rolls.
Cinnamon rolls are what we eat Christmas morning, and any other time my family can bribe or beg me to make them. That usually ends up being Father’s Day and Toph’s birthday! In the beginning, I think I made them randomly one time, just to try a challenging new recipe, and they were so yummy that we decided that I had to make them more often. But after a few times of making them, we decided that they were very fattening so we ought to eat them a little less. heh. Their saving grace is that I often make them with 100% whole wheat flour (or at least 50%!).
The first time I remember making cinnamon rolls from scratch, I was at my Grandma’s house in Boca. I seem to recall we often made various meals with her. One time it was pasta from scratch (I particularly remember making ravioli). This time it was cinnamon rolls. Did she make them for some special holiday? I can’t remember. In fact, I don’t remember much about the incident except that it happened. I remember being at the kitchen table, basically in the family room, with Clark Gable and a paint splattered Vivien Leigh about to passionately kiss in their frame above the table (an old movie poster for Gone with the Wind). And I remember cinnamon rolls.
This recipe is from Bread Machine Magic: 139 exciting new recipes created especially for use in all types of bread machines) by Linda Rehberg and Lois Conway (Guess I should go back and link the cookbooks mentioned in my other posts. heh.)
Jim’s Cinnamon Rolls for a 1.5 lb. bread machine:
Dough: Basic Whole Wheat Sweet Dough
3/8 cup milk
3/8 cup water
1 egg
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Red Star brand active dry yeast (yes, they recommend a brand!)
Place all ingredients in bread pan, select Dough setting, and press start.
When dough has risen long enough, the machine will beep. Turn off bread machine, remove bread pan, and turn out dough onto a floured counter top or cutting board. With a rolling pin, roll dough into a 9×18 inch rectangle.
Glaze
5 Tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
Pour the melted butter for the glaze into one 9×13x2 inch pan or two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans; sprinkle with brown sugar.
Filling
1 Tablespoon melted butter or margarine
2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins (optional - I never include them.)
For the filling, brush the melted butter on the dough. In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, brown sugar, and raisins; sprinkle over dough. Starting with long edge, roll up dough; pinch seams to seal. With a knife, lightly mark roll into 1 1/2-inch sections. Slide a 12-inch piece of dental floss or heavy thread underneath. By bringing the ends of the floss up and crisscrossing them at the top of each mark, you can cut through the roll by pulling the strings in opposite directions. Place rolls cut side up in prepared pan(s), flattening them slightly.* Cover and let rise in a warm oven 30-45 minutes until doubled. (Hint: To warm oven slightly, turn oven on Warm setting for 2 minutes, then turn it off, and place covered dough in oven to rise. Remover pan(s) from oven to preheat.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately invert rolls onto a large platter or serving dish. Serve warm.
Yields 12 rolls.
*The rolls can be covered with foil at this point and refrigerated overnight or frozen for 1 month. Before baking, allow rolls to thaw completely and rise in a warm oven 30 minutes. (Hint: On a moment’s notice you can have a fabulous gift on hand by placing uncooked rolls in disposable cake pans, covering them with foil, attaching a label with thawing and baking directions to the top, and then freezing them.
*****
It looks like a lot of work, but it gets easier each time I do it. It’s not that hard, actually. This is the 50% whole wheat option, in case you didn’t notice. The dough’s a little lighter with the 50% whole wheat option. I recommend getting all the cold ingredients for the dough to room temperature before mixing the dough…I think it helps it rise better.
So, there ya go, J.L. Cinnamon rolls. I could have done an easy recipe like Crockpot Cheesy Chicken which has four main ingredients in it, but no…you requested Cinnamon rolls!
On to the letter ‘D’! Suggestions are welcome!
