Makes 8 monstrous cinnamon rolls
There is no way to know how many times this recipe was modified before it got the stamp of perfection from my family. The requests ran along the lines of “Could they be bigger?”, “Could they have more cinnamon?”, “Could they have more frosting?”
Now when these rolls land in front of my family, they just ask “Can you make more?” That makes me really happy.
WHAT YOU NEED | WHAT TO DO ©Jean Miller, 2011. All Rights Reserved. | WHY |
1 recipe RICH ROLLS | Follow recipe down to the completion of the first rise. | |
2 tablespoons shortening | Evenly grease two 9x9x3-inch cake pans or four 9x5x3-inch loaf pans; set aside. | Tall pan sides protect edges against overbrowning. |
1 teaspoon flour | With a lightly dusted rolling pin, roll dough into a 16x24-inch rectangle. | |
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon | For the filling: Whisk together in a small bowl. Spread evenly over the rectangle leaving a half-inch border. | A border allows fillings to be sealed in by pinching. |
Starting on the short end, without pulling or stretching the dough, gently roll into a 16-inch long log. Pinch edge to seal. Premark the top of log into 8 segments. An easy way to do this is to mark the half point, and then mark each half into quarters. Keep in mind that the ends of the log tend to have less mass than the center of the logs. The goal is rolls with equal mass. | Because of the invariably tapered ends of the log, just cutting every 2 inches results in two noticeably small rolls. Unequal mass will result in uneven rising and baking. | |
24-inch length of dental floss | To cut the segments, slide the floss against board, perpendicular to the log until just under the desired cut line, bring 2 ends up over top of log and crisscross until the dough is cut through. | Floss cuts the soft dough without deforming it. My mom showed me how to do that when I was a kid. It works well on anything too delicate to cut with a knife (soft cheese, caramel, etc.) |
Space 4 rolls in each prepared baking pan or 2 rolls in each prepared loaf pan. With your fingertips, firmly flatten the rolls to equal heights to assist even rising. | Flattening also discourages the roll centers from popping up during rising and baking, which can lead to overbrowning of the centers. | |
For the second rise: Cover (an oversized inverted storage container works well); let rise at room temperature (70-75°F) an hour or until doubled in bulk. | Covering keeps exterior soft for expansion. | |
Position a rack just below the middle of the oven; preheat to 375°F. Bake 20 minutes, or until golden brown and interior temperature reaches 200°F. Move pans to a heat proof surface. | ||
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar 3 tablespoons milk, 2% or whole 1/2 teaspoon real vanilla | For the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together. Drizzle over hot rolls still in the pans. If not serving hot, transfer to a wire cooling rack and cover with an oversized inverted storage container. | Covering reduces dehydration. |
