Cinnamon Rolls

I love anything cinnamon. The cinnamon craze many years ago has died down in Singapore and you could hardly find any stand alone cinnamon rolls bakery here. So I have to make my own if I want to eat any. After trying out a few recipes, I am quite happy to settle for Laura in the Kitchen's. It is simple and straight forward. I have just made a big batch for my son's rugby team mates.

                                        

Recipe adapted from Laura In The Kitchen
Ingredients
Makes 20 Rolls
2 tsp Instant Yeast
50g sugar
60ml luke warm water
180ml milk
¼ tsp of vanilla extract, optional
1 egg
1 tsp salt
57g unsalted butter, melted
500g of All Purpose Flour
20g melted butter, to brush over the top before baking
For the filling,
75g unsalted butter, at room temperature
155g brown sugar
50g sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp of ground cinnamon
For the glaze,
60g icing sugar
½ tsp of vanilla extract
2 Tbsp  milk
Method

1) In a small bowl, combine the warm water and 1 tsp of the sugar (from the 50g), sprinkle the yeast over the top and let it sit for about 5 minutes or till it foams.
2) In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the egg, milk, salt, remaining sugar and melted butter. Add 250g of the flour slowly, vanilla extract and yeast mixture, mix until its all incorporated and scrape down the sides. Slowly add about 250g more of flour and scrape down the sides again. Turn the speed up to medium and let it mix for about 5 to 7 minutes or until you have a very smooth dough.

                                       

3) Oil a large bowl with some butter or oil and set aside. Take the dough out of the mixer and pull it together with your hands to form a ball, flouring your hands if the dough is sticky. Place it in the oiled bowl and oil all sides of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and place it in a warm spot to rise for about 1 1/2 hours.
4) In a small bow, mix together the brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon for the filling, set aside.
5) After 1 1/2 hours, or when doubled in size, punch the dough down and roll it out onto a floured surface into a 40x25 cm rectangle. The dough is soft, smooth, stretchy and non sticky.

                           

6) Spread by brushing the soft butter over the top and sprinkle evenly over the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Brush the sides with some milk.

                            

7) Staring from one of the long ends, tightly roll the dough into a jelly roll form. Cut into 18 to 20 slices (make sure they are even) and place them cut side down in a well buttered 23x33 cm baking pan with sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let put them back into a warm spot to rise for another 1 hour.

                             

8) Half an hour before baking, preheat your oven to 180 degrees C.

                                         

9) Once risen, brush them with some melted butter and bake them for about 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Watching it and if it turns brown before the 25 minutes, cover it with a piece of foil to prevent burning. It is cooked if you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. It will also sound hollow if you tap it with a fork. You can now eat it while it is nice and warm or you can glaze it.

                                         

10) This step is optional. While the cinnamon rolls cool. Make the glaze. Mix the vanilla extract with the icing sugar for the glaze in a bowl, slowly add the milk until you get a runny glaze consistency by stirring with a spoon. Spoon the glaze over the cinnamon rolls by drizzling it diagonally across the rolls and enjoy!