Ultimate Cinnamon Rolls (really!)

I think I finally perfected my cinnamon rolls!

The dough recipe I used to use (introduced in my previous cinnamon roll post) yields rolls with a great texture and flavor. However, it is very elastic and springy, and is not the easiest dough to work with while rolling, flattening and shaping. It springs back as soon as I flatten it with a rolling pin. Consequently, the whole rolling/flattening-filling spreading-shaping operation has to be conducted extremely hastily, not exactly the kind of relaxing leisurely activities I would enjoy on a Saturday morning.

Then I found this recipe. It yields very soft, pliable dough perfect for rolling and shaping. When baked, the rolls are light, fluffy and almost flaky. This morning, I made cinnamon rolls using this dough for the second time. I don’t think I will be trying any other dough recipes for quite a while, at least as far as cinnamon rolls are concerned.

As always, most of those 12 cinnamon rolls were swiftly consumed by my two teenagers after their swim practices. I did eat a few myself, however, even though I am consciously trying to keep my diet more about simple, raw food and less about pastas and pastries. I was in the middle of reading the Indian ashram part of Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (thanks to my wonderful local library now offering this and many other titles as Kindle e-book rentals), and eating the sweet, buttery pastries felt like making an evil commitment. To make myself feel better, I followed my breakfast by an hour of yoga practice and a 30-minute jog.

 

[Recipe] (the dough recipe is after DUFFYchan‘s recipe)

Dough:

• 240 grams Bread flour
• 60 grams Cake four
• 40 grams Sugar
• 5 grams Salt
• 6 grams Bread machine yeast
• 1 Egg
• Enough milk to make (egg + milk = 220 grams)
• 50 grams Butter

Filling (combine the following):

• 2 TBSP butter (melted)
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2TBSP sugar

Icing (mix the following well together with a wire whisk):

• 1/4 cup butter (softened)
• 1/4 cup c ream cheese (softened)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon or orange juice

Combine the dough ingredients into the bread machine and run them through the dough cycle. The Japanese recipe owner recommends that butter be added to the bread machine about 9-10 minutes into the knead cycle for a better texture.

After the dough cycle, turn the dough onto a well-floured working surface, and split into two parts.

Using a rolling pin, each part is flattened to a rectangle (about 6″ x 8″), spread with half the filling, and rolled up into a log.

The log is cut into 6 pieces, which are then arranged in a greased 9″ cake pan.

Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Proof the rolls for about 45 minutes.

Then they are baked at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.

While still hot, the icing is spread.