Cinnamon Buns

Cinnamon Buns

Anything baked and containing cinnamon, I'm drooling... add a cream cheese frosting and I'm yours! These Cinnamon Buns are probably the best bread based bake I've made so far and they're fairly easy to make too! 

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 180ml warm milk (whole or 2%)
• 1 packet of yeast (7g) 
• 50g granulated sugar 
• 1 medium egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 60g unsalted butter, melted  
• 360g strong white bread flour
• 3/4tsp salt

For the filling:

• 135g dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp of ground cinnamon
• 60g unsalted butter, softened 

For the cream cheese frosting: 

• 110g full-fat cream cheese 
• 45g unsalted butter, softened 
• 75g icing sugar 
• 1/2tsp vanilla extract

Equipment: 

• multiple baking trays 

Method

1. Warm the milk by placing it in the microwave for approximately 30-45 seconds until you can dip a finger in it for it to be warm but not too hot that it burns you. Once this is done, sprinkle the yeast over the top and then also add the sugar, egg, egg yolk and melted butter. Mix using an electric or hands free whisk with a paddle attachment until everything is combined well. Add the flour and salt and mix with a wooden spoon until a dough begins to form. 
2. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and then using your hands, knead the dough for a good 5-8 minutes until it's smooth and stretchy. If it's too sticky, add a tablespoon or two of bread flour. 
3. Transfer the dough ball to a well oiled glass bowl, cover with clingfilm and then a warm towel. Place in a warm, humid place (I used my oven) to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until it has doubled in size. 
4. After the dough has finished proving, transfer to a well-floured surface and roll out into a 14x9 inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter over the dough, leaving a 1/4 inch margin at either side of the dough. 
5. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Use your hands to sprinkle this mixture over the buttered dough. Now rub it in wish tender caress and passion. 
6. Start to tightly roll the dough up, starting from the 9-inch side and place seam side down making sure to seal the edges of the dough as best you can. Now I recommend cutting off about an inch from either side You will probably need to cut off about an inch off the ends as the ends won’t be as full of cinnamon sugar as we’d want it to be. But DON'T throw them away; we won't have any food waste here! 
7. Now using a piece of floss or a very sharp knife; cut rolls of approximately 1inch widths until you run out of dough. You should have around 9 rolls. 
8. Place cinnamon rolls in a greased 9x9 inch baking pan or round 9 inch cake tin. Cover with cling film and a warm towel and let them rise again for 30-45 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Remove the cling film and towel and bake cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes or until just slightly golden brown on the edges. You want to under-bake them a little bit so they stay soft in the middle, that’s why we want them just slightly golden brown. Allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes.
10. Whilst the buns are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. Place all the ingredients for the frosting into a bowl and then using either an electric or manual whisk, beat them together until smooth. Spread over the top of your cinnamon buns. 
11. Make a cuppa, kick your legs up and enjoy this little moment of joy.

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