Cinnamon Rolls

I have the scents of butter, cinnamon and sugar coming from my kitchen. All that's missing is a floral apron, some pearl earrings and a full skirt - the picture of a domestic goddess!

No, as usual, I'm in my tank top-boxer shorts-messy ponytail getup. But, I am at my happiest!

As I have clearly stated in my list, I've never had much luck in breadmaking. All that working with yeast is not at all good for me. Yeast has never been my friend and has failed me several times.

It is with fear then that I approach this project. But hunger always overcomes fear. Hunger, plus the cold weather, overcomes fear.

Let's get started in making heavenly cinnamon rolls! Pretty simple...only 1 hour, 30 minutes of waiting time for the dough to rise. Painful 30 minutes of kneading the dough!

This recipe is from Yummy magazine. Aileen Anastacio, you are one of my heroes.

Cinnamon Rolls by Aileen Anastacio
Yummy magazine, May 2010 issue

For the dough

• 1 (1/4 ounce) package dry yeast - I used 1/2 tbsp instant dry yeast; 1 ounce = 2 tbsp
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups bread flour
• 1 tsp salt

For the filling

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 tbsps cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed and softened

For the glaze - I didn't make this; let's cut some calories shall we?

• 1/2 cup butter, cubed and softened
• 1/3 cup cream cheese, cubed and softened
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Leave for 5 minutes. - I did not do this because I'm using instant dry yeast. I warmed the milk but combined it immediately with the next set of ingredients. I combined the yeast with the flour mixture.
2. Add sugar, butter and eggs. Run the mixer on low speed to stir the mixture.
3. Gradually add bread flour and salt (and instant yeast, in my case), and knead until mixture forms a smooth elastic dough, about 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover with a damp towel and leave in a warm place. Allow dough to rise until double in size; about 1 hour.
5. Punch dough then transfer to a work surface. Roll dough into a rectangle (24 inch long, 16 inch wide, about 1/4 inch thick).
6. Make the filling: Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and mix well.
7. Using a spatula, spread softened butter evenly over the dough then sprinkle the surface with the cinnamon-sugar filling.
8. Roll dough tightly into a log. With the seam side down, cut the dough into 2 inch slices. Place on a greased baking pan, 2 inches apart. Allow the dough to rise until double in size, about 30 minutes.
9. Bake the rolls in a preheated oven to 375F for about 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Place on a wire rack to cool slightly.
10. Make the glaze: Cream butter and cream cheese together. Gradually add confectioners sugar then add vanilla
11. Spread some icing over the rolls and serve warm.

This is all you need.
This is what you get when you combine the ingredients. A little sticky so make sure you put some flour in your hands and a little on your work area. Found this nifty kneading board at Gourdo's for P600+. Very nice as it latches on the table and does not move when you put force when kneading. You might ask why I knead by hand? Because I don't have the expensive KitchenAid mixer (yet) and my humble hand/stand mixer cannot knead this much dough. I know, so poorita :-( Oh well, I need the exercise. Mind you, I used a kitchen timer to time my kneading.
After the most excruciating, arm-killing 30 minutes of your life, your dough will look like this. Place it inside a well-oiled bowl, cover in damp towel and keep in a warm place for about 1 hour. Because it's extraordinarily cold the past 2 days (blame it on the typhoons), it took me 2 1/2 hours to let this dough rise!
Roll into a rectangle, spread butter and the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Restrain yourself from eating the cinnamon-sugar mixture when doing this. I don't think it's safe for consumption at this stage (?). Oh, and don't be shy, sprinkle VERY generously :-) Don't be too obsessive-compulsive and refrain from cleaning up when you do this. This is the type of good mess you want in your life.
Cut, cut, cut.
Oooh...they look like siopaos :-)
Look at how tiny these rolls are...
Look at how huge they become after the rising and baking! I have to think of something to get those ends tucked so they don't look like inverted Gs.
Someday, when I'm famous, I would make a perfume line with a burnt brown sugar scent.
I love you.

I still have dreams that my arms are all tired and swollen after kneading that long. In my daydreams though, I have a red KitchenAid doing the kneading for me!

For more tips and info on how to substitute instant dry yeast for dry yeast and vice versa, read up here.

Pawis rating 5 of 5 because of all the kneading...but it's all worth it!