Rolling Along

These Q4 months just get away from me! Despite not wanting to work with adults, I have REALLY enjoyed my team and, thus, my month. One of the things I enjoy doing is making on call treats. There's just something about having a treat to get you through 30 hours of work with minimal sleep. I have made Sharpei cookies (which my over REFUSES to bake correctly!) and oatmeal krispie cookies. Last week, I decided to make some cinnamon rolls. The month before I joined the Daring Bakers, they made some cinnamon rolls. I made them over Christmas and my dad really liked the dough, though he did say I needed to put more sugar in the filling...I had already done that! :-) One thing I really liked about the dough is that it makes a manageable amount of cinnamon rolls. My other recipe is pretty big and makes about double what I can use easily. The lemon (or orange as I used in the second round...no lemons!) zest in the dough lends a lovely flavor that kind of floats around your tongue leaving you noticing it but wondering what that extra flavor is. I did change the flour a bit the second time (for my team) and used about 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour and 1 1/2 cups AP flour, as I didn't have bread flour. It still turned out great...if you don't overbake it (oops!) the dough is a pleasant texture as well. I highly recomment this wonderful dough recipe from The Break Baker´s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart as provided here. However, instead of using the traditional icing, I decided to use a cream cheese icing that I found on an AllRecipes recipe for Cinnabon clones. This was a really good icing, though I highly recomment that you NOT use margarine...it makes the icing an ugly yellow! So, if you want to make homemade cinnamon rolls and have a few hours for a couple of proofing times, this is a WONDERFUL and pretty easy recipe. Try it! And stop back by...I've already got plans for the next call treat but I need ideas for the final call...any suggestions?

Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients:

6 1/2 tablespoons (3.25 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 tablespoons (2.75 ounces) shortening or unsalted butter(I used 3 TBSP shortening and 2 1/2 TBSP butter)
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 1/2 cups (16 ounces) unbleached bread
2 teaspoons instant yeast*
1 1/8 to 1 1/4 cups milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (6 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar plus 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Icing - recipe follows

Cream together the sugar, salt, and shortening or butter on medium-high speed in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a large metal spoon and mixing bowl and do it by hand). Whip in the egg and lemon extract/zest until smooth. Then add the flour, yeast, and milk. Mix on low speed (or stir by hand) until the dough forms a ball. Switch to the dough hook and increase the speed to medium, mixing for approximately 10 minutes (or knead by hand for 12 to 15 minutes), or until the dough is silky and supple, tacky but not sticky. You may have to add a little flour or water while mixing to achieve this texture. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
On a pastry cloth or oiled countertop, roll out the dough with a rolling pin, lightly dusting the top with flour to keep it from sticking to the pin. Roll it into a rectangle about 2/3 inch thick and 14 inches wide by 12 inches long for larger buns, or 18 inches wide by 9 inches long for smaller buns. Don´t roll out the dough too thin, or the finished buns will be tough and chewy rather than soft and plump. Pour and spread the melted margarine over the dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar and the cinnamon sugar over the surface of the dough and (C) roll the dough up into a cigar-shaped log, creating a cinnamon-sugar spiral as you roll. With the seam side down, cut the dough into 8 to 12 pieces each about 1 3/4 inches thick for larger buns, or 12 to 16 pieces each 1 1/4 inch thick for smaller buns.)
Line 1 or more sheet pans with baking parchment. Place the buns approximately 1/2 inch apart so that they aren´t touching but are close to one another.
Proof at room temperature for 75 to 90 minutes, or until the pieces have grown into one another and have nearly doubled in size. You may also retard the shaped buns in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, pulling the pans out of the refrigerator 3 to 4 hours before baking to allow the dough to proof.Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with the oven rack in the middle shelf.
Bake the cinnamon buns for 20 to 30 minutes (closer to 20) or until golden brown.
Cool the buns in the pan for about 10 minutes. While they are cooling, make the cream cheese icing recipe below:

• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients together. Spread the icing across the tops, while the buns are warm but not too hot. Remove the buns from the pans and place them on a cooling rack. Wait for at least 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!