Sweet Bread & Cinnamon Rolls - Chef Margi Kahn

Sweet Bread & Cinnamon Rolls

INGREDIENTS

Dough

-1 c. Whole Milk

-1/2 c. Granulated Sugar

-2 1/2 Tsp. Active Dry or Instant Yeast

-Approximately 4 1/2 to 5 c. Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, divided, plus additional for kneading and rolling, as needed. 

-3 Large Eggs, at room temperature

-6 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, at room temperature, plus more for buttering bowl.

-3/4 Tsp. Coarse Kosher Salt 

Filling

-1 Stick (4 oz.) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature, plus more for buttering pan

-1 1/2 c. Packed Light Brown Sugar

-2 Tbsp. All-Purpose Flour

-1 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon

-1/2 Tsp. Coarse Kosher Salt\

Glaze

-1 Stick, (4 oz.) Unsalted Butter, softened

-2 c. Sifted Powdered Sugar

-1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

-1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

-Pinch of Salt

-Approximately 1/4 c. Whole Milk

DIRECTIONS

1. To make dough, combine milk and sugar together in a small pan, or in a microwave safe bowl. Heat to about 110 degrees. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in yeast. Let mixture rest for 5-10 minutes, or until it foams.

2. Add 2 1/2 c. flour and stir. Add eggs, butter, and salt and 1 cup more of flour; stir to incorporate. Continue adding flour, a large handful at a time, until dough becomes a mass in the center of the bowl and becomes too stiff to stir.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Dust top of dough with additional flour and knead, dusting with additional flour, as needed, to keep dough from sticking to the counter. Continue in this manner until the dough is smooth and just a tad bit sticky. Err on the side of adding less, rather than more, flour.

4. Lightly butter a clean bowl or a gallon-sized zip lock bag. Add dough, turning to lightly to coat all the dough with butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or seal bag; let the dough rise at room temperature for about 1 1/2 hours. At this point, you can continue with the recipe or, which I suggest, you refrigerate your dough overnight, or for up to 4 nights. This slow refrigerator rise will give your rolls better flavor and lasting ability. Let dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before continuing with the recipe.)

5. To make the filling, stir together all filling ingredients until smooth; set aside.

6. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with butter and set aside. When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter and roll it into a 12-by-18-inch rectangle 1/8-inch thick. Evenly spread the filling over dough, leaving a 1-inch border longest side closest to you. Starting at the other long end farthest, roll the dough into a log. Pinch` n to seal the long seam and place the log onto a lightly floured surface, seam-side down. Using a large serrated knife or dental floss, cut the log into 12-15, pieces. Transfer rolls to the prepared pan, cut-side up. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise for a second time at room temperature for 30 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°. After the second rise, remove the plastic cover and bake rolls until golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes.

8. While the rolls are baking, make the glaze: Combine the sugar, butter and milk in a deep bowl. Whisk or mix together with a beater. Add in vanilla and salt. Whisk in enough of the milk until glaze is of a spreadable consistency; set aside until needed.

9. Transfer cinnamon rolls from the oven to a cooling rack and drizzle or spread the glaze over top. Let rolls cool at least 20 minutes before serving.
   

   P.S. - Bread is delicious, fresh, toasted, and makes the best French toast. The best way to store the bread or rolls is in a plastic bag or sealed plastic container at room temperature.

View full cooking demonstration from Margi Kahn.