Cinnamon Rolls
I wanted to share this recipe with you. It is the result of months of research and is the subject of my latest DVD release Cinnamon Rolls at Home. The recipe and procedure are described in summary below but the full recipe and details of how the recipe came about can be obtained from www.breadtechnique.com [1]. This recipe is unusual in that it uses a preferment (poolish). You can see a picture in the gallary.
Basic Small Batch Poolish (makes about 750 grams)
Mix together in a 2 quart bowl to heavy pancake batter consistency:
2 ½ cups (350 grams) bread flour
pinch of yeast (1/8 tsp or a little less)
14 ounces of good tasting water (400 ml)
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave on the counter overnight (8-12 hours).
in 8-12 hours it will be double in bulk, bubbly and will resemble tapioca pudding.
Move the poolish to the refrigerator to store it there for up to three days.
Cinnamon Roll Finish Mix
Cream together with the whisk attachment in a standing mixer:
1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter
½ cup (115 grams) granulated sugar
2 ½ tsp (18 grams) salt
1 large egg (60 grams)
½ cup Instant dry milk (40 grams)
Zest of one medium or large orange
Add and combine using the flat beater attachment:
3 1/4 Cups (480 grams) bread flour
1 tsp (3 grams) instant yeast
Mix until the contents of the bowl resembles coarse cornmeal
Cinnamon Nut Filling
In a small food chopper place (in this order so cinnamon won’t dust up):
1 ½ tbs (15 grams) good quality cinnamon
3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
Pulse the chopper and dribble in:
2 tbs canola or corn oil
Remove the sugar and cinnamon mixture to a 2 quart mixing bowl.
Place 2 cups (190-200 grams) whole pecans into mini-chopper and coarsely chop them.
Stir together with cinnamon and sugar mixture along with a pinch of salt
Procedure Summary
Finish mixture (middle section) can be bagged and stored for later use in the freezer for three months or in the refrigerator for two weeks.
Always allow the finish mix to warm and become soft and pliable before adding to a small batch (top section) room temperature poolish in the standing mixer bowl.
Mix on low mixer speed for one minute with flat beater.
Switch to dough hook.
Knead for three minutes.
Rest for 10-15 minutes to autolyse (hydrate the dough).
Knead additional 4-6 minutes.
Remove dough hook. Leaving dough in mixer bowl spray with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap.
In about 20 minutes dough will be rested, tacky, pliable and ready to roll with rolling pin on heavily flour dusted surface.
Roll dough to a size of about 14” x 34” for 16 rolls or about 14” x 26” for a dozen large rolls.
Spread cinnamon Cinnamon Nut Filling (last section) on the rectangle of dough.
Roll up like a jelly roll and slice into two inch segments, cutting all the way through the dough.
Place cut rolls on baking sheet lined with parchment about 1 ½ inches apart.
Proof until rolls are touching. This will take about 90 minutes.
About 30 minutes after proofing begins turn on your oven to 425 degress F.
Remove the plastic wrap and discard.
Place rolls in the 425 degree F oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F.
Rotate the pan once 180 degrees if you notice uneven browning at about 12 minutes.
Overall bake time is about 25 minutes - but ovens vary a lot.
Above is a procedure summary, for more information refer to www.breadtechnique.com [1]