June 15, 2009 - 9:49am
Cinnamon rolls best the day that they are made?
I usually make cinnamon rolls using rapid-rise yeast and they are ready the same day. They come out the oven moist and yummy. However, if there are any leftover the next day they are not as good. The texture is not the same. The roll is drier/harder, if that makes sense.
Are cinnamon rolls only best the day that they're made? Or, is there a way to extend the life of these delicious rolls at least for a day or 2? TIA
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I find they last longer if you let the dough rise slowly in the refrigerator. I make the dough and shape my rolls, and then pop them in the fridge. I bake them 12 to 24 hours later.
I've never tried this before....seems like a perfect solution to Saturday morning rolls without have to wake up super early:)
Couple of questions...I'm guessing active yeast would be an order over my trusty rapid-rise?. Do you let the shaped rolls rise a bit before putting them in the fridge? Bake right out the refrigerator, or bring to room temp first? Lastly, is the roll more flavorful vs same day rolls?
Sorry to ask so many questions. Thank you!
Use whatever yeast you like, it doesn't matter. I use Active or Rapid-Rise depending on what's cheapest at the time when I buy it. For slow fermentations, you only need to use a little and they both behave the same.
I don't let them rise. I would let them rise for an hour or so if I weren't going to put them in the fridge. Bake right out of the refrigerator. (preheat the oven, first, though)
I do find they have more flavour when you do this. You can retard them for three or four days. The flavour does get better with longer fermentation time.
I think they keep longer because a lot of the chemical reactions that cause the rolls to lose freshness happen *before* baking instead of after baking. Not to mention the buildup of metabolites in the dough that improve flavour.
Thank you so much!
Oh! I just re-read my post...
When I say I don't let them rise, I mean the final rise. Don't skip the initial proofing of the dough.... Basically, prepare them as usual, but just insert a really long period of time between final shaping and baking.
As you noted, they start to go downhill fast the second day. Warming the rolls helps somewhat, but they will never taste as fresh and moist as the day baked.
I guess that's why day-old baked goodies are marked down in price.
lol at day-old baked goodies... So true!
I have noticed some cinnamon roll recipes call for water only...a recipe that uses eggs, milk and butter will make a softer crumb that keeps longer...nothing beats warm out the oven cinnamon rolls!
Sylvia
Thanks Sylvia. The recipe I use calls for eggs, milk, and butter. Hmmmm, could it be the rapid-rise yeast/faster rise time?
I made cinnamon rolls a couple of times, and they seemed just fine on the second day when I heated them up in the microwave.
What's your secret? lol I can never reheat bread of any kind in the microwave.
The next day, putting the rolls in a very slow oven (around 200° or less) and misting the oven will help. Also, try boiling some water in the micro and get it nicy and steamy in there. Place the rolls, wait about 5 mins for the crusts to absorb some moisture, then micro for about 15 secs or more depending on amount in the oven.
Also, you can quick freeze the leftovers. Place on small sheet and put in freezer for about 20 mins or until fairly hardened. Take out and wrap individual rolls in plastic wrap. Place back in freezer. These will last quite awhile. When ready to eat, remove to counter for about 45 mins to an hour, remove plastic wrap, and then warm using one of the two methods above, but since the thawing process will accumulate moisture, there is no need for any steam.
Another neat trick to use for any type of slightly staled bread or rolls: get a small pan of water to a very slow boil. Use a grease/bacon screen over the top of the pan. Use a large skillet lid that is larger than the pan diameter, but not larger than the grease screen. Add bread to the screen and steam each side for about a mins, covered. With the cinnamon rolls, put them TOP side down first, let steam for about 30-45 secs, flip and steam the bottoms for a minute or longer. Note that items steamed this way will not last long, maybe about 10 mins or so, so they must be eaten fairly quick. This process is best done when the people are ready to eat immediately, and you steam to the demand. Anyone who has never tried this (even if bread is not stale) will be delighted with the melt-in-your-mouth results. This is also a great trick for the most soft flour tortillas for burritos.
Last alternative is to almost double the yeast called for in the recipe, then freeze the dough after the bulk fermentation and/or shaping/cutting. You can freeze at either stage. If you freeze after bulk fermentation, then you counter the dough for an hour to 90 mins, then roll out, fill, cut, and then bake as usual. If you freeze after the cutting, then freeze individual uncooked rolls as described above. Remove from freezer and counter for an hour or so, remove plastic wrap, pan the rolls and allow to rise covered by a tea towel or similar. You will most likely NOT get the usual excellent visually puffy proofing, but they should bake up nicely. Using this technique, you can grab the exact amount of rolls you need from the freezer, and they are then baked fresh.
Nothing's going to beat fresh from scratch to oven, as everyone has already said, but these alternatives can provide for a fairly decent product in exchange for some convenience/efficiency. Hope one or some of them work for you!
- Keith
Wow! Thanks so much Keith. Your suggestions are very helpful! I usually warm them in the oven for a few minutes, but of course with out misting. This most likely is whats making them drier, so your alternatives which incorporate steam makes alot of sense.
LOL! Not if I'm around.
Actually, we do occasionally have leftovers. We pop them in individual zippered sandwhich bags and then reheat in the microwave. They are CLOSE to fresh, but not quite as good.
Now you've piqued my curiosity--will cinnamon rolls made with sourdough last longer???
Hmmmmmmmmm . . .
LOL! It's just me, hubby, and a pan of rolls. I cut the recipe in half, but we still have a couple left over.
Thanks for the tip!
You can also freeze a filled and rolled up (but not yet cut) log of rolls. The night before baking, put them in the fridge to thaw. In the morning, cut the rolls, proof and bake. They are as good as fresh made.
I haven't tried cutting them the night before and letting them proof overnight in the fridge. That sounds even better, if it would work after freezing.
BTW, when I've done this, I have not altered the recipe in any way.
David
Thanks David! Sounds like a good solution for my saturday morning cinnamon roll cravings:) How long should/can they be in the freezer? Do you find that this method makes for a better leftover or next day roll?
Hi, Flour.
I've done this just once, but I'm going to try it again real soon.
There is nothing that beats fresh baked. I think I left the rolled up cinnamon rolls in the freezer for 3-4 weeks. I don't think freezing the dough makes any difference in staling after the rolls are baked.
David
Thank you!
Wow! KAF must have read your message, Flour. They are featuring a way too easy sticky bun recipe on their web site today.
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/ridiculously-easy-no-knead-sticky-buns-recipe
Be sure to read the "Tips from our bakers" side bar which addresses the question at hand.
David
A "twofer"! lol Oh, how I love this site.
Wow...I was planning to make sticky buns for my dad this weekend, but did not have a recipe. Amazing and timely link:) Thanks again David!
Arzajac: Okay, thanks for clarifying.
In our house, on the second day we slice them across the roll. Spread with butter and grill in a pan. Very yummy.