Cinnamon Rolls with cream cheese frosting

Makes 12 rolls

Ingredients:

For dough:

240ml (1 cup) tepid milk

2 tsp. active instant dried yeast

2 large eggs, room temp

75g white sugar

550g (approx 4 cups) plain flour

75g (1/3 cup) soft butter

1 tsp. salt

For cinnamon sugar:

150g soft butter

200g (1 cup brown sugar)

1.5 Tbls. cinnamon powder

For cream cheese frosting:

55g (1/4 cup + 2Tbls) soft butter

110g (approx 1/3 of a bar) cream cheese

100g (approx 3/4 cup) sifted icing sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla paste

Method:

Mix milk with active yeast and allow it to bloom so that you are sure it is active (1-5 minutes). This just means it will get a little foamy on top. Place in a mixing bowl and using a whisk or paddle attachment add the room temp eggs and sugar. Switch to a dough hook and add in the flour and salt. Alternatively you can do this by hand. Mix 2.5 minutes until dough comes together and then add in the soft butter. Mix a further 5 minutes. If kneading by hand you’ll need to knead for a total of about 10 minutes. You want to knead or mix until the dough passes the “window pane” test. This just means if you stretch a piece of dough in between your finger tips that the dough allows you to stretch enough you can see through it without tearing. Keep Kneading until you have achieved this.

Shape into a ball and place into a buttered bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and allow to double in size, approximately two hours. Maybe less if your room is warm.

Mix ingredients for cinnamon sugar using a spoon or spatula in a small mixing bowl and set aside.

Dump the dough out onto a clean bench top. Try to avoid adding flour here but if you must, add the tiniest bit. Roll dough into a rough rectangle using a flour dusted rolling pin, stretching the dough to a thickness of about 1cm. If you notice the dough it “tight” and not stretching out, cover it with a damp tea towel on your bench and let it rest 10 minutes and then try again.

When rolling, keep the long side parallel to the bench you are using. Spread the cinnamon butter all over the dough extending out to the very edge. Roll it up along the long side like a jelly roll. Cut into 12 rounds.

Place into a greased baking dish (something similar to 26cm x 36cm). Cover with a tea towel and allow to double in size on your bench top (approx 1 hour). Alternatively, cover the tray with clingfilm right after you cut and placed dough into the baking dish and refrigerate overnight to bake in the morning. If doing this you will still need to prove the rolls on your bench top in the morning (before baking) until they puff up and double in size. This may take up to two hours, as they will need to warm up.

Preheat your oven to 175C conventional (155C fan forced)

Brush the tops of the rolls with milk or cream just before baking.

Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden brown.

Make the frosting while they bake. Whip together soft butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl by hand or with egg beaters. Add icing sugar and vanilla and a pinch of salt and set aside.

When still warm from the oven, spread the frosting on top and serve warm.

Note: the photo above is glazed with a simple icing sugar glaze made by mixing 1/2 cup sifted icing sugar with a few teaspoons of water to make it a thick pourable consistency. You make whichever you like! Also, this photo is for half the amount of buns. You could bake half and freeze half to bake another time.