Monday, September 05, 2011

29. & 30. Brioche Cinnamon Rolls


These are two of the items on my top 100 list, I have been wanting to accomplish for a LONG while.  There were logistical issues to completing this challenge however.  1) I needed somewhere to take them once complete while still warm, and 2) I needed to craft a finely tuned schedule to ensure they were completed at the right time.

Dough after initially combining and kneading...

So, I decided to make these beauties and take them to work for a Monday morning breakfast treat.  I made the dough and did the first rise on Sunday.  I then woke up at Monday morning to take the dough out the fridge, roll it out, sprinkle out the cinnamon sugar mixture, and roll & cut the cinnamon rolls.  Then the cinnamon rolls had to rise, so I placed them on top of the stove with the oven preheating.

...then left to rise at room temp.

I went back to sleep until 5 AM, when I normally get up for work, and placed the cinnamon rolls in the oven.  I went back up stairs and took my shower and laid out my suit for work.  Then I went back down stairs and removed the cinnamon rolls from the oven.  Next, I went back up stairs got dressed for work, while the cinnamon rolls cooled slightly.  I then came back to the kitchen, made the cream cheese frosting, topped the cinnamon rolls with the frosting, placed them on a serving plate, and in a box.

Rolled out dough sprinkled with cinnamon/sugar mixture, leaving one end uncovered.

All that time, preparation, broken sleep, and several trips up and down the stairs was so worth it.  The rolls were buttery, fluffy, and decadent.  The dough was easy to work with.  It came together just as the instructions said without any kneading by hand.  Thank you Kitchen Aid mixer with dough hook attachment.

Rolls cut and placed in a pan, covered...

If I did this again, first, I would place the rolls in a larger pan to rise or not let them rise as long.  The 1.5 hours I let them rise setting on top of my stove with the oven pre-heating was more then enough time (and heat possibly).  The rolls completely filled the pan losing their signature circle shape.  Second, of course, I would not do this while trying to get ready for work either, but it worked out.  My office loved the rolls and they were a nice unexpected breakfast treat.

...to rise.

YAY!  Check off two more successfully completed Top 100 challenges.  Also, another pat on the back for working with YEAST successfully.  Yeast and are, slowly, becoming BFFs (baking friends forever)!

Rolls, fresh out the oven, prior to frosting.

I used the brioche recipe from Baking Banter’s Brioche French Toast recipe and added one teaspoon of vanilla extract to the recipe.  To transform the butter rich bread into cinnamon rolls, I did the following:

1. After the dough comes out the fridge, roll it into a rectangle. Do not roll between parchment paper, trust me and save yourself the time. Roll it out old school style with flour.


2. Spread half a stick of soft room temperature butter over the dough.

3. Combine 1 cup of brown sugar (lightly packed) with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of allspice.

4. Sprinkle as much of the mixture as you care for on top of the butter. Leave about 1 inch of dough uncovered from topping & butter along the longer side of the dough. (See picture above.)

5. Roll the dough into a log toward to uncovered side. Once completely rolled, pinch together the roll and uncovered end to seal as much as possible.

6. Place the roll sealed side down and cut into pieces with a sharp knife, approximately 1 to 1.5 inches. Do not squash the rolls with downward pressure as you cut it.

7. In a greased pan, place the rolls facing cut side up and down.

8. Let the dough rise for at least an hour.

9. Preheat the oven to 350F.

10. Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes, until the rolls are nice and browned and sound slightly hollow with tapped.

11. Top with cream cheese frosting or enjoy plain.
 

1 comment: