Cinnamon Rolls

 I am kind of a carb lover - I could eat carbs for every meal. And as you could have guessed I also like to cook/bake - so the two together are perfect. Who better to turn to for a good cinnamon roll recipe but Paula Deen?

Caution: Butter and Sugar Galore!

Ooey- Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

 Dough:

• 1/4-ounce package yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup scalded milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter or shortening
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour 

Filling:

• 1/2 cup melted butter, plus more for pan
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus more for pan (I didn't do this, I have read it can make the bottoms really hard)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup raisins, walnuts, or pecans, optional 

Glaze:

• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional - I prefer mine not flavored)
• 3 to 6 tablespoons whipping cream (add until desired consistency)

Directions:

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside. In a large bowl mix milk, sugar, melted butter, salt and egg. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add yeast mixture. Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle. Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes. Place in well-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, usually 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

When doubled in size, punch down dough. Roll out on a floured surface into a 15 by 9-inch rectangle. Spread softened butter all over dough. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over buttered dough. Sprinkle with walnuts, pecans, or raisins if desired. Beginning at the 15-inch side, role up dough and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 12 to 15 slices (I use thread and just cross it over to cut it)

Coat the bottom of baking pan with butter and sprinkle with sugar (sugar if desired). Place cinnamon roll slices close together in the pan and let rise until dough is doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned (keep an eye on them the time will vary)

Meanwhile, mix butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Add whipping cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches desired consistency. Spread over slightly cooled rolls.

Tips/Ideas:

• first off: be patient! The key to fluffy rolls is letting them raise fully - the first and second time
• I changed the recipe a bit from the original - that is what I love about comment boards, you get to learn from everyone elses mistakes and take their comments and adapt the recipe before even making them. So I have written this how I made them.
• These take probably a good 4-5 hours start to finish so they are a bit of a time commitment

I hope you enjoy!

Practically Perfect

I've always love the weekends that it allows for special breakfasts. This weekend was no exception. Sunday I tried out a new recipe:

Poppins

1/2 C butter
2 C sifted flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 C milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 beaten egg
1/2 C sugar

Mix all ingredients together, put into muffin tins (I didn't grease mine or use muffin cups but I might use one or the other next time)

1/4 C melted butter
1/2 C sifted flour
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 ts cinnamon

Mix and crumble on top of batter.

Bake for 30 min at 375 - makes 12

Ideas:

• make some simple frosting and drizzle on the top
• butter is a must - although they are good without it right out of the oven
• They stay really light even though they are done so I might cook around 25 min next time to keep them a little more moist

French Delight: Palmiers

Elephant Ears or Palmier's

Ingredients:

1 package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (2 sheets)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground ground cinnamon 

1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

THAW pastry sheets at room temperature 30 min (mine take a bit longer to become workable) Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix egg and water. Mix the 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon.

UNFOLD 1 pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Brush with egg mixture. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp. sugar mixture and a fair helping of plain sugar. Starting at short sides, fold (or roll) pastry toward center, leaving 1/4" space in center. Brush the top of the folds with egg mixture and sprinkle with 1 tbsp. sugar mixture and more sugar. Fold one side over the other, making 4-layer rectangle. Repeat with remaining pastry sheet.
 

CUT each rectangle into 12 (3/4") slices. - IMPORTANT - this is crucial to these turning out (in my opinion), get a plate of sugar and flatten each slice with your palm (pushing one side and then the other) into the sugar - this helps them cook more evenly, look nicer, and adds even more sugar that cooks to a nice crunch on the outside 

 

PLACE cut-side down 2" apart on baking sheet. Brush tops with egg mixture (I nixed this part due to the sugar coating).

BAKE 12 min. or until golden. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack (remove from sheet immediately while the sugar is still soft/melted otherwise they will stick to the baking sheet).

Makes 24 Pastries

Jill's Tips 

• I've indicated my own take in italics above
• These can be made with just plain sugar and then dipped in chocolate
• Chopped walnuts can also be added to the inside, wherever you add sugar add the nuts