You've probably heard the expression, "friends are like flowers in the garden of life." It's been printed on greeting cards and calendars, mugs and picture frames, and even sung about in a cute song often played at kindergarten graduations. As a cook, I like to think of my friends as "flours in the kitchen of life." Before you groan under your breath at my attempt at treacly metaphor (or maybe it's a simile?) and leave the page to learn a new dance on Tik Tok, or watch cat fails or download a DIY pattern for making "fashionable" masks, humor me for a moment.
Some friends are delicate and need a gentle hand, like pastry flour. Some friends are extra tough and full of backbone, like bread flour. Some friends are primarily focused on health and fitness like whole wheat flour, and some are just plain nuts, like almond flour. I need all these flours in my kitchen, and am grateful to have such a wonderful variety at my fingertips. But my go-to flour, the one that never lets me down, the one I make sure to NEVER run out of, is all purpose flour, AP for short.
My friend Gina is my AP flour. She's always there when I need her, she can solve any problem (in and out of the kitchen), and she really enriches my world. She's great for life's sweet moments, and a laugh riot in the salty ones. I know I can count on her. Anytime and every time. And, sincerely, the woman knows her way around an oven. This recipe is based the one she gave me for 90 Minute Cinnamon Rolls. They bake up soft and pillowy, cinnamony sweet, with a rich cream cheese frosting on top. They are simply sublime.
Just like a visit with a friend, these are even better when enjoyed with coffee
The only alterations I made to her already perfect recipe were based on ingredients I had (or didn't have) on hand, and a little accident. Gina's recipe utilized margarine, but I subbed butter because I didn't have any margarine. I also forgot to add the egg, and we didn't miss it. And I added a little vanilla to my filling because I always add vanilla to baked goods, and, extra cinnamon because, well let's be honest, I accidentally over-poured it from the jar over the bowl and I couldn't undo it. But it was serendipitous, because they came out tasting even better than the ones from the cinnamon roll shop. Topped with my go-to cream cheese frosting (which should be YOUR go-to frosting as well, for cakes, cinnamon rolls, your pointer finger...) I think these were pretty darn near perfect. Just like Gina.
Sloppy frosting job because the kids couldn't wait another minute
Gina's Cinnamon Rolls (makes 12, serves less because, trust me, you'll want more than 1)
Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups AP flour, divided
1 envelope rapid rise yeast
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter. softened
Method:
Heat oven to 375. Set aside 1 cup flour from the total. Mix remaining flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
Heat milk, water and 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) in a pyrex measuring cup in the microwave, about 1 minute, until hot to the touch and 120-130 degrees F.
Stir hot liquid into dry ingredients. Mix in enough reserve flour to make a soft dough that doesn't stick to the bowl. Turn out onto a floured board and knead for 5 minutes. Cover dough and let rest 10 minutes. Mix remaining butter (1 stick) with brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.
Roll dough on floured board with floured rolling pin into a 12x9 rectangle. Spread with cinnamon mixture. Roll up from the long side, jelly roll style, and pinch to seal the seam. Cut with a bench scraper or sharp knife into 12 equal slices. Place cut side up in a buttered 9x12 baking dish. Fill a cookie sheet pan fitted with a cooling rack with boiling water. Set pan of cinnamon rolls on top of the rack and cover with a large enough towel to completely cover everything. Let rise in the steam for 20 minutes.
Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Frost while hot with cream cheese frosting (recipe below).
Cream Cheese Frosting (can be halved for this recipe, if you make the whole batch you will have leftovers, but what's wrong with that?)
Ingredients:
1 stick butter, softened
1 (8 oz) bar cream cheese, softened
4 cup confectioners sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Method:
Cream butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add in sugar one cup at a time, and beat slowly at first, then at high speed until everything is thoroughly incorporated. Add in vanilla and beat to combine.
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