I REALLY wish I could take credit for the name of these cinnamon rolls, but alas, this recipe is also in the King Arthur Whole Grain Baking Book. I did mention I love that book, right?! I promise I will post more of my original recipes; I just happened to have a sweet craving today and so one of these will work for a combo dessert/snack/grain serving for my lunch!
These buns are 100% whole grain, with no refined flour added. If you're not really into whole wheat because of its notorious heaviness, or if you're just starting to dabble in baking with it, this is an awesome recipe to fool the pickiest of eaters! Lots of sugar and fabulous cinnamon tends to have a great masking quality! I used Vietnamese cinnamon this time to give them a little bite, but typical store-bought will work fine too, if you make sure and use all that's asked for!
To make cutting them easier, I like to use a long piece of dental floss or thread, sliding it under the rolled log, crossing the ends (like you'll tie it), and pulling quickly. Then they won't get smashed! Oh, and don't roll the dough too tightly to begin with or you'll have goo oozing everywhere and, once baked, the centers will pop up. Loosely rolling the log keeps the filling in place and ensures even baking. These rolls keep well, getting even better the next day.
For the record, I don't make these very often (because of the amount of sugar). When we would like them in the morning for breakfast, they do really well rising in the refrigerator overnight. I cut them into buns and place them in a pan, covered with plastic, and chill. I get up an hour or two before they'll be baked to allow them to rise at room temperature, and also set the oven to preheat. This step makes it much more realistic to have them for breakfast (as opposed to a mid afternoon snack/lunch that I'll be having today). These are the best!!
Dark and Dangerous Cinnamon Rolls
Combine and let stand 5 min:
3/4 cup, plus 2 tbsp warm water
5 tbsp honey
2 tsp yeast
In a large bowl, place:
3 1/2 cups whole wheat or whole wheat white flour (a bit milder in flavor)
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3 tbsp potato flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk*
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp softened butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 egg yolk (reserve the white for the filling)
Mix 1/4 cup orange juice into yeast blend, then pur into dry ingredients. Mix and knead by hand or mixer until you have a soft, smooth dough. Cover and let rise 1-2 hours until puffy, but probably not doubled in bulk. While the dough is rising, make the filling.
FILLING:
Stir together 1 egg white, 1 cup packed brown sugar, and 2 tbsp cinnamon.
Lightly grease a 9x13" pan.
Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Roll and pat it into a large rectangle, about 12x16" (although, I usually do mine a bit smaller for larger rolls). Spread the filling over the dough, making sure it's even and all the way to the edges.
Starting with the long edge, roll the dough loosely into a log. Gently cut it into 12-16 pieces.
Place the buns in the prepared pan, spacing evenly. Cover and let rise 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Near the end of the rise, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake the buns until they're golden brown on top, 25-28 minutes. Remove from the oven, let sit for about 3 minutes, and then turn them out onto a wire rack. Invert onto a second wire rack and let cool a bit. Make the icing.
ICING:
Beat together:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp melted unsalted butter
pinch of salt
2-3 tbsp milk, or enough to make a spreadable icing
Spread on lukewarm buns and serve immediately. Or, let cool completely and then cover with plastic for a few days (if they last that long).
Nutrition info based on 16 buns. Per 1: 288 cal, 5 g fat. Not too bad, especially considering they're technically "good" for you!! ;)
*A note on the nonfat dried milk: While Western Family and Carnation sell big boxes of the stuff, I have found that the finer "grain" of Bob's Red Mill's or King Arthur Flour's brands give some recipes a better rise, resulting in a better final product. (Like these rolls...I buy Bob's Red Mill products in our grocery store's natural foods section, but they're also available here: http://www.bobsredmill.com
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