…and I’ll show you a Dad who just plain doesn’t like food. Okay, so maybe not every Dad loves cinnamon rolls, but mine does. And chances are, yours does too. After all, what’s not to like about fluffy, light, buttery, cinnamon-y rolls? No, they’re not an everyday treat, but it’s Father’s Day for Pete’s sake!
It took me a few tries, but by combining the best elements of three different recipes, I have created what is, in my own semi-humble opinion, the perfect cinnamon roll. And if you don’t believe me, just ask my Dad, cinnamon roll connoisseur extraordinaire, who said they were the best he’s ever had. The sheer number of them that he ate tells me he wasn’t just being polite. So since I won’t be with my Dad this Father’s Day, the next best thing is to share the recipe with all of you. And in case you’re wondering, this is what I got my Dad instead.
On to the recipe!
Cinnamon Rolls (makes 12)
Ingredients
For the dough:
For the filling:
For the glaze:
In a large bowl or a food processor, combine the flour, yeast, salt, sugar and 2 tsbp cold butter. Combine with a fork, pastry cutter, or your fingers until the butter is completely absorbed into the mixture and it is well blended. Add the eggs and combine well. Add 3/4 cup of the milk and stir, adding a tablespoon more at a time if it is too dry. When it becomes very difficult to stir, turn out onto a clean, well-floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, adding as little flour as possible to keep from sticking. The test I use to tell if the dough has been kneaded enough is to poke it. If the indentation stays, knead a little longer. If it springs back, it’s good.
Form the dough into a nice round ball and put it into a lightly floured bowl. Sprinkle a little more flour on top, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise until it’s doubled in bulk, around 1-2 hours. At this time of year it shouldn’t take long at all. When it’s risen, punch it down, form it into a ball again and let it rest for 15-20 minutes, until it’s slightly puffy.
Butter a 9″x13″ baking pan or two round 9″ cake pans. Put the dough on a floured work surface and press with your hands to flatten it. Then, roll it out, using flour as necessary to keep from sticking, into a 10″x18″ rectangle. If the dough doesn’t stretch easily, just cover it with a towel and let it rest for a few minutes before trying again. To fill the dough, spread the butter on evenly, leaving 1 inch of space at the end furthest from you, and sprinkle on the cinnamon and sugar. Carefully roll up the dough, starting with the end closest to you. Use the sharpest knife you have to slice it into 12 rolls. If they’re not all exactly the same size, don’t stress. They will all be delicious.
Place them in the buttered pan(s), cover with a dishtowel, and let rise one last time until doubled in bulk. When they’re almost ready, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Pop them in the oven and let them back until they’re golden brown, about 30 minutes. Leave them in the pans to cool, and make the glaze by mixing together all of the ingredients. Drizzle it over the cinnamon rolls while they’re still warm, and enjoy! Most likely they will all be gone the first day, but if they aren’t make sure to freeze the leftovers because they will get stale very quickly otherwise.
Clacked by Cate Cropp
on Jun 21, 2009 @ 10:00 EST5EDT
