Harvest Cinnamon Rolls
I have finally attempted to make a homemade cinnamon roll, and I have succeeded! Over the weekend, I tried the recipe on this site:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Bread/CinnamonRollsFantastic.htm
What's great about these is that they can be mixed in a bread machine, mixer, or food processor, and there are clear, detailed directions and pictures to help you along.
I used my stand mixer this time, because I didn't know if 5 cups of flour would fit properly in my bread machine--I've never seen any recipes for the machine that were more than 3 cups. Anyway, it worked fine in my mixer and I was finally able to use my dough hook attachment, though the dough climbed up the hook quite a bit during kneading.
If you try these, they make 15 rolls. If you're really careful in rolling out the dough evenly, the rolls will be more uniform in size. I ended up with 2 really small ones on the ends :) I made them up at night, then put 8 of them in a cake pan in the fridge. They will slowly rise overnight in there, so all you should have to do is take them out and bake them the next morning. I froze the rest of the batch. When you freeze, you have to take them out to thaw and rise for 10-12 hours before you bake them--again, good for doing the night before.
The only things I would change: I thought I would save some time and bought a pre-made cream-cheese cake frosting to go on them--it just did not taste well with the rolls. Too much hydrogenated fat or something. I will definitely use the suggested icing recipe for my next batch. Also, I think I would use a salted butter for spreading on the rolled-out dough (NOT for the actual dough--always use UNsalted butter in your baking). I think the salted butter for the filling would add more flavor.
Otherwise, these rolls were big, soft, and delicious. I used Saigon cinnamon, per "Maggie's" advice--very strong cinnamon there. I might lessen that just a bit next time. Try these though, and tell me if you like them!
**Another tip--use the vital wheat gluten she recommends in the recipe. It makes for a more flexible dough. You can find it in most groceries (I found it in wal-Mart) in the baking section. A little box is only a dollar and some change. You can add it to all your bread recipes for better texture. I tried it the other day with some white bread in my bread machine and it was the best texture I've gotten yet.
3 comments:
You can put five cups into the bread maker if it will hold the large loaves...it will handle the first raise fine. It would not be able to accommodate a second rise and bake with that much flour, however.
Just for the "dough" cycle, mine handled it fine and did not reach more than about 3/4 of the way up the cannister.
The recipe I used called for a good mix of sugar and cinnamon, and the cinnamon would probably be too strong, except that the cream cheese I use is also a strong flavor, so they sort of counter balance one another.
I use margarine in all mine as a substitute for butter and have had fine results, though I know there is the trans fat issue. Just a change I've not yet made as a whole for baking.
Thanks for the tips. I might try the bread maker next time. I did enjoy using my dough hook for the first time on my mixer though :) That mixer is my best friend in the kitchen!
I use butter mainly because of the trans fats issue and the flavor. Also, the unsalted butter I use because the recipe already calls for salt, so I'm not adding any extra. I do like to use butter-flavored shortening in most of my cookies though (they have some non-trans fat ones now, but if you're eating cookies--who cares) because I think it makes for poofier cookies.
you can send me some of your "poofy" peanut butter cookies if you would like.........I won't mind :) really...........i won't :)
Those cookies are just so good.
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