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How do you slice filled, rolled dough into slices for buns (cinnamon buns) ?

peppermintschnapps's picture
peppermintschnapps

How do you slice filled, rolled dough into slices for buns (cinnamon buns) ?

Slicing filled, rolled dough into slices for buns (cinnamon buns) - how do you do it? I have tried dental floss, fishing line, and knives - serrated and straight.

None of them seem to give satisfactory results. They seem to grip the dough and pull at it, or squash it, rather than slice smoothly.

Thanks :)

sheffield's picture
sheffield (not verified)

Put your dough in the freezer for a short time to firm it up and then try slicing it.

davidg618's picture
davidg618

a very sharp, serrated-blade breadknife, and try to make the cut in one or no more than two draws of the blade. I've been using a Lamonsharp 10"  (available from King Arthur), but recently bought a Forschner Victorinox 10" breadknife--they call it a "Wavy Blade". (available through Amazon) It, at least for now, is the sharpest breadknife I've ever owned, and will use it in the future.

I chill pinwheel cookie doughs, as suggested above, but I cut yeasted doughs, i.e., sticky buns, cinnommon at room temperature, with no problems. I try not to press down, letting just the weight of the blade do the work.

David G

Pablo's picture
Pablo

Hey David,

I took your recommendation and picked up one of those Victorinox wavy blade 10" bread knives from Amazon.  Great!  It's nice and substantial so I can direct the cut better than with a lighter weight knife that tended to go off on it's own course, and it's so sharp that I don't have to press hard and compress the loaf when I cut.  Where I used to have to saw through the bottom crust, now I have to stop to not be cutting through the cutting board because I've already gotten through the bottom crust.  I'm very pleased.  Thanks!

:-Paul

xaipete's picture
xaipete

That's what I use too. Great knife and cheap.

--Pamela

paulav's picture
paulav

If you try dental floss, gently slide it under the rolled dough, lift up and criss-cross the ends then pull outward; advance the floss to the next place you want to cut & repeat, etc.  this works for me - until you hit a nice big raisin :-)

ejm's picture
ejm

I use dental floss to cut cinnamon buns and pinwheels. Even the sharpest knife just squashes them. Place a strand of floss under the rolled dough; cross the ends over each other and pull. The floss cuts through neatly and cleanly.

Use unwaxed unflavoured dental floss. Here are photos I took of cheese pinwheels (maybe a little overstuffed with cheese). See how the round holds its shape after being cut.

cheese pinwheels © ejm January 2008 cheese pinwheels © ejm January 2008

Thread works too but is not so easy to keep track of because it is so thin.

-Elizabeth

(And aren't there wire cheese cutters? They would work as well.)

 

edit: Ha!! I see you beat me to it, paulav!

paulav's picture
paulav

Elizabeth,  what did you fill your cheese rolls with?  They look delicious... Paula

ejm's picture
ejm

The cheese pinwheels are simply filled with grated medium cheddar. And the dough is actually baking powder biscuit dough.

Although I've used the floss method on cinnamon buns, I don't think I've ever taken a photo of cutting our cinnamon buns made in a similar manner. And the last time I cut cinnamon bun dough rolls, I see that I used the dough scraper to cut each bun. I don't remember that it DIDN'T work but I do remember there were major problems that day with very very slack dough. My gut feeling is that the floss cutting method works best.

As for what to do about raisins, as I recall, I think I jammed raisins into the spirals afterward.

-Elizabeth

 

paulav's picture
paulav

Elizabeth,  thanks for sharing the recipes-   Paula

paulav's picture
paulav

Yes, I guess I did beat you- by 2 whole minutes!  But your comment about using unwaxed/unflavored floss is good.    paulav

ejm's picture
ejm

Ha. If I'd known it was a race, I wouldn't have fooled around looking for photographic evidence and then we might well have posted simulaneously, Paula.

-Elizabeth

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Cutting these cinnamon rolls with a serrated knife worked perfect...I also use dental floss but now prefer the serrated knife!

Absolutely no squishing...make sure you use a sharp serrated knife! 

Sylvia

ejm's picture
ejm

That does look less messy, Sylvia. Next time, I'll try to remember to use the serrated knife method.

-Elizabeth

deblacksmith's picture
deblacksmith

For a long time I used floss and it worked well.  But lately I have gone to using a large pastry knife.  The same kinife I use for cutting bread dough, when scaling a batch.  It is faster than the floss and works well.  One thing that helps is to wet it with cold water.

If using floss be careful about leaving it lay on your bench and get rolled in to the next batch of rolls -- no one likes to find dental floss when eating a roll for breakfast.  :-)

Dave

Susan's picture
Susan
I have used both floss and a pastry knife

For a long time I used floss and it worked well.  But lately I have gone to using a large pastry knife.  The same knife I use for cutting bread dough, when scaling a batch.  It is faster than the floss and works well.  One thing that helps is to wet it with cold water.

Isn't that hard on your gums?

Just Loafin's picture
Just Loafin

LoL!!! That mental image was... well... disturbing!

- Keith

peppermintschnapps's picture
peppermintschnapps

Next batch will probably be this weekend; I'm going to try the floss from underneath, for sure. Thanks everyone :-)