One special thing I've always liked to do for Solstice morning is make cinnamon rolls. There are few things more comforting and homey during the depths of winter than the smell of bread baking, and the spice of the cinnamon seems to recall the warmth of the sun. And besides, what other day of the year are we going to eat cinnamon rolls for breakfast and then give each other a bunch of presents? I've made them from a tube (too sweet!) and from scratch the morning of (too slow!) but a recently acquired cookbook has a recipe that I think I will be making for years to come. I have a whole bag of these guys in the freezer just waiting for me (and yes, I cooked a few up the day that I made the dough and they are delicious!). I've copied the recipe mostly as it appears in the book, but have made some changes where appropriate.
Whole-Grain Cinnamon Rolls
From Jessica Fisher's "Not Your Mother's Make-Ahead and Freeze Cookbook", with my notes added.
Dough:
2 cups milk
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats [I left these out]
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 to 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
Filling:
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
[Don't skimp on any of these, and use more if it needs it, since this is what makes the rolls moist]
When ready to serve:
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
[I just put some powdered sugar in a bowl and keep adding milk and more sugar until it's the quantity and consistency that I want]
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. [This is to freeze the rolls on, and I found it unnecessary]
Place the milk and butter in a medium saucepan [or the microwave] and warm slightly, until butter is melted. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the vanilla, sugar, and yeast. Stir and allow the yeast to proof for 5 minutes. Add the salt and stir, then the oats, whole wheat flour, and 3 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir to combine well. Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead. Continue kneading for about 5 minutes to create a smooth, elastic dough, adding more all-purpose flour as necessary. Transfer to a greased bowl and turn the dough ball to coat. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. [Use your favorite dough-making method here. I used 100% fresh ground white whole wheat flour, and needed to add the flour slowly in 10-minute increments so it could properly absorb the liquid.]
When the dough is ready, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to form a rectangle, about 12 x 15 inches.
Spread the softened butter over the surface. [Make sure you have a good thick layer or your rolls will be dry]
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture over the butter. [Or just sprinkle the sugar and then the cinnamon until you have enough!]
Roll up the dough, jelly roll fashion, starting from a long edge and pinching the seam to seal.
Cut the rolled dough into slices, each about 2/3 inch to 1 inch wide, and arrange them on the baking sheets.
Freezing instructions:
Place the trays in the freezer and freeze the rolls until they are firm. Remove the trays from the freezer and place rolls in gallon size zip-top bags. Return to the freezer.
To thaw and serve: The night before baking, remove as many rolls as desired from the freezer and place them in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The rolls will thaw and rise in the refrigerator. In the morning, remove the dish from the refrigerator and let the rolls rest for 20 minutes at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the rolls until browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Glaze with the icing before serving.
Submitted December 19, 2014 at 10:25PM by midwintermoons http://ift.tt/1zHY9Cs Wicca
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