Think of pulling apart string cheese, but instead it's with cinnamon rolls. These braided and rolled cinnamon rolls are soft, pillowy, and sweet enough that you don't need icing! It is so good that I have made these close to ten times, and it takes so much resistance for my mom and I not to reach for another one. The dough recipe has gone through minor adjustments every time, and the one I am sharing with you all is the best it has ever been. It's fun to braid, and more importantly, it's fun to eat!
Ingredients
For the dough:
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (107ml) whole milk
1 large egg, room temperature
8 tablespoons (114g) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups (300g) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons (6g) instant yeast 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt
For the filling:
6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cups (135g) brown sugar
2 tablespoons (15g) ground cinnamon
Turbinado or demerara sugar (optional)
For the egg wash:
1 large egg
1 tablespoon (15g) water
Directions
Warm the whole milk in a microwave until it reaches 105-110 degrees F (40-43 C). If you do not have a thermometer, microwave for 30-35 seconds.
Add the milk, egg, and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Then add the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. On a low speed, mix until the dough has just begun to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium, and mix for another 2-3 minutes. Total mixing time should be around 6-8 minutes. If mixing by hand, knead the dough for 10-12 minutes.
Rip a small piece of the dough and perform a window pane test. (see notes below for further explanation) Shape the dough into a smooth ball, and place into a lightly floured bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and rest in a warm spot for 50 minutes.
Five minutes before the proofing finishes, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in small bowl. Set aside. Line or grease a cupcake tin and set aside.
Once the dough has rested, transfer to a floured surface and roll out into an 18x12 inch rectangle. Using a spatula, spread the filling around the dough. Fold the dough into thirds by lifting the long side in front of you and folding until the edge reaches the middle of the dough. Fold the other side, the one furthest from you, on top.
Cut the dough into 16 strips, roughly 1-1 1/2 inches. Take one strip and lightly press down just enough to widen the strip a bit. Slice into thirds, leaving about a 1/2 inch on top, uncut. Take the strand furthest to your right (3) and place it over the middle strand (2). Then, take the strand furthest to your left (1) and place it over the right strand (3) you just brought over. Finally, bring the original middle strand (2) over. Repeat until you reach the end of the dough. Gently pinch all strands together at the bottom. (numbers refer to the strands as seen in the step by step visuals above)
Starting from the uncut dough on top, roll the dough onto itself until it reaches the pinched strands at the bottom. Place the dough into the cupcake tin, seam side down and the braids facing up. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for each strand.
After all strands have been braided and rolled, cover the tins loosely with plastic wrap. Allow it to rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 350 F (176 C). Whisk together the egg and water, and brush the top of each roll with the wash. Sprinkle the optional turbinado or demerara sugar on top. Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden.
Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Transfer each roll onto a wire rack and cool for another 5 minutes.
Enjoy, and satisfy your craving!
*Additional Notes*
The windowpane test tells you if your dough has been kneaded properly and if enough gluten has developed. To perform this test, take a golf-sized piece of the dough. Stretch it gently with your fingers. If a thin membrane that you can slightly see though forms without ripping immediately, the dough is ready and does not need to be kneaded further. If the dough rips before you see the membrane, knead or mix for a few more minutes.
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