47/52 Cinnamon Rolls

I love Joy the Baker.
Who couldn't love her and all her baking and cooking and blogging and podcasting.

I bought her cook book right after it was published but haven't made any of the recipes yet.
This had to be changed so I finally made something this week:

Giant Cinnamon Rolls with Buttermilk Glaze

Adapted from the Joy the Baker Cookbook by Joy Wilson

Dough:

1 package (1/4 oz / 7 g)active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon plus 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar

150 ml (1/2 cup) milk, room temperature

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

420 g (2 3/4 cups) flour plus 100 g (3/4 cup) for kneading

3/4 teaspoon salt

114 g (1 stick) butter, softened

Filling:

115 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar

100 g (1/2 cup) packed brown sugar

70 g (1/2 cup) finely chopped pecans

40 g (1/4 cup) raisins (optional)

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch ground cloves

3 tablespoons maple syrup

114 g (1 stick) butter, melted

Glaze:

280 g (2 cups) powdered sugar

60 ml (1/4 cup) buttermilk

For the dough, combine yeast and 1/2 teaspoon of the granulated sugar in your stand mixer bowl. Heat 60 ml (1/4 cup) water so that it feels warm to the touch (not too hot). Add to the yeast-sugar, stir to combine, let sit for about 10 minutes until foamy.

Add remaining 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk. Whisk until combined, then put the bowl in your mixer. Add the 420 g (2 3/4 cups) flour and the salt and mix with the dough hook on medium speed until the dough starts to come together. Turn to medium-high and knead for about 4 minutes. Add softened butter and knead for another 6 minutes. The dough will be wet and sticky. Place dough on a floured surface and using your hands, knead 40 g (1/3 cup) flour into the dough. Set to rest in a large greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Make the filling while the dough rises: combine sugars, pecans, raisins (if you want), cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Stir in maple syrup and set aside.

When the dough has doubled in size, put it onto a floured surface again and gently knead it until it is no longer sticky, adding flour as needed. Knead for about 2 minutes and let rise again for about 5 minutes. Roll it into a 25x50 cm (10x20 in) square and brush with half of the melted butter. Pour all of the filling onto the dough, spread evenly but leave a border at one of the short sides. From the short side, roll the dough into a tight roll. Pinch along the edge to seal. Place seam side down on a cutting board and cut into 8 equal slices.

Arrange slices in a greased 20x30 cm (9x13 in) baking pan. Each slice will have some room on all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours. (Refrigerate overnight if you want to bake them the next morning).

 

Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Bake rolls in the upper third of the oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Drizzle with the remaining half of melted butter just after the rolls come out of the oven.

Make the icing while the rolls cool: whisk together powdered sugar and buttermilk until smooth. Drizzle over the warm rolls and serve.

My modifications:

I used almonds instead of pecans. And I did use raisins.

I used only 210 g (1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar for the glaze which was totally enough.

The taste:

Perfect for a yummy breakfast. Or as a snack any time of day.

But - and I'm almost afraid to criticize Joy - waaaaay too sweet. I love sweetness and sugar and everything but this is definitely too much. So next time I will omit the maple sirup, the sugar and half of the brown sugar. I think that will make it perfect.

What do you bake for breakfast?

46/52 Green Onion Jalapeño Cornbread

Thanksgiving and cornbread are inseparable.

But cornbread without Thanksgiving is possible and highly recommended.

Since we don't celebrate Thanksgiving like in the States (at least not on the same date and not in the same way), we don't have a choice but to eat it whenever.

But to all my American readers: Happy Thanksgiving! I hope y'all will have a wonderful celebration on Thursday (with lots of cornbread)!

Green Onion Jalapeño Cornbread

Adapted from Epicurious

100 g (3/4 cup) flour

100 g (3/4 cup) cornmeal

50 g (1/4 cup) sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

4-6 green onions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons jalapeños, minced with seeds

310 ml (1 1/4 cups) buttermilk

2 eggs

57 g (1/2 stick) butter, melted

• Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
• Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Stir in onions and jalapeños.
• Whisk together buttermilk and eggs, then whisk in melted butter.
• Add buttermilk mix to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes. Let cool.

My modifications:

None. Except for using other kinds of chilis since jalapeños are, unfortunately, not widely available here.

The taste:

It does taste good. But ... (and it's a big but) ... way too moist and spongy. I know, usually it is a good thing if a cake or something like that is moist. But in my opinion, cornbread has to be more dry and crumbly. If you think so as well, this cornbread is not for you. It really does taste good, just not how I like my cornbread. 

What do you bake for Thanksgiving?

45/52 Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Cake

I was looking for a cornbread recipe and ended up with this one.

I hope you don't mind.

Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Cake

Adapted from Williams Sonoma 

380 g (2 1/2 cups) flour plus 2 tablespoons

65 g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder, unsweetened

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

340 g (12 oz.) chocolate chips

170 g (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

240 g (1 1/4 cups) sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

240 ml (1 cup) dark molasses

240 ml (1 cup) very hot water

• Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
• Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl.
• In a small bowl, combine the chocolate chips with the 2 tablespoons flour.
• Beat together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time.
• Whisk together the molasses and hot water. Add to the butter mix, alternating with the flour mix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Pour batter into prepared pan (Bundt or brownie). Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool completely.

My modifications:

No allspice. And a bit less chocolate chips (270 g instead of 340 g).

About the molasses: I am sure that you could substitute them with honey. I assume that it would give the cake an even more authentic gingerbread taste.

The taste:

Chocolate and Christmas is always a good combination. This cake is no exception. 

What is your favorite Christmas cake?

44/52 Coconut Chai Coffee Cake

Reuniting with a friend after 20 years. Even though you're just 35 years old.
That's what I did this week. Exciting, isn't it?

An occasion like that calls for a special cake.
Nothing fancy. Suiting the season. Warm, cozy, comforting.
Serving as good company when you're trying to catch up on such a long period of time.

When Tracy Shutterbean posted a picture of this Coconut Chai Coffee Cake on Instagram not too long ago, I instantly knew that this would be it:

Coconut Chai Coffee Cake

Adapted from Tracy Shutterbean

Crumbles: 

115 g (1/2 cup) butter, melted 

85 g (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour 

150 g (3/4 cup) packed light brown sugar 

80 g (1 cup) unsweetened flaked (or shredded) coconut 

1 teaspoon ground cardamom 

1 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1 teaspoon ground ginger 

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

Cake: 

325 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

350 g (1 1/2) cups packed light brown sugar 

115 g (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature 

250 g (1 cup) plain yogurt (or sour cream) 

2 large eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). 
• Mix all crumble ingredients together until combined. Put in the fridge. 
• For the cake, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and put aside. 
• Beat together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the yogurt (and/or sour cream). Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in the flour mix until just combined. 

• Pour batter into prepared spring form pan and spread evenly. 
• Sprinkle the crumbles over the top. 

• Bake for 50-55 minutes. Let cool before serving. 

My modifications: 

None. 

Except for using 2/3 yogurt and 1/3 sour cream. 

And shredded coconut instead of flaked because that's all I could get. And I think it might be even better because you can actually crumble it on top so that it gives you nice round crumbles.  

The taste: 

Just heavenly.
Spicy. Warm. Comforting. Autumnal. A tiny bit christmassy.
Moist inside. Crumbly on top.
Perfect for any reunion. Or any occassion in fall and winter.
I think this is one of my favorites of the 44 bakes I've made this year so far. 

What would you bake for a special reunion?