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Rolls: Giant Cinnamon Rolls

Source of Recipe

Los Gatos Cafe, Los Gatos, CA, Sunset OCTOBER 2008


Recipe Introduction

Before you dive into these delicious breakfast treats, give the warm cinnamon butter a minute or so to melt into every nook and cranny of the tender rolls.

List of Ingredients

15 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening or butter
1 large egg
3 3/4 cups flour, plus about 1/4 cup for rolling
3 tablespoons plus 1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
Cooking-oil spray
1/2 cup butter, softened


Recipe

1. In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix 1 tbsp. granulated sugar, 1/4 cup warm (110°) water, and yeast. Let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1 1/4 cups more warm water, salt, 6 tbsp. granulated sugar, shortening, and egg. Mix until blended.

2. Change to dough hook, gradually add 3 3/4 cups flour, and beat on medium speed until dough is smooth and stretchy and pulls away somewhat from inside of bowl, about 10 minutes (dough will still feel quite wet).

3. Remove hook from bowl and loosely cover bowl. Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled, about 40 minutes.

4. In a small bowl, combine 3 tbsp. cinnamon with 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Generously flour a large work surface and scrape dough onto it. Generously sprinkle dough and a rolling pin with flour.

5. Very gently roll and pat dough into a 10- by 24-in. rectangle, keeping a light coating of flour on dough but trying not to work it in. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture and brown sugar, then roll dough into a log starting from a 10-in. side. Cut dough straight down into 8 equal slices. Place slices cut-side up in a greased 10-in. springform pan. Let stand until puffy, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 325°.

6. Set springform pan on rimmed baking pan and bake rolls until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center roll (avoid cinnamon-sugar swirls) comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the cinnamon butter: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter with 1 tsp. cinnamon until blended.

7. Run a knife around inside of pan to release rolls; remove pan rim. With a serrated knife, cut rolls apart and top each with about 1 tbsp. cinnamon butter. Put rolls on a platter and place in warm oven until butter has mostly melted, about 1 minute.



SERVES 8

Time: 3 hours. Warm cinnamon butter melting down the sides of these rolls and into the grooves makes them a standout.

Make ahead: Instead of letting rolls rise on the counter (step 5), immediately cover with a piece of oiled plastic wrap and chill overnight. In the morning, let stand at room temperature until puffy and no longer cold, about 1 1/4 hours. Bake as directed.