Cinnamon Rolls
These luscious cinnamon rolls are hard to resist. The ginger in the recipe lightens the dough - it adds no flavor. The rolls are baked in syrup and the pan inverted after baking, so that the syrup drips down the sides of the rolls.
For the dough:
1 package active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
1-cup warm milk
3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
2 large eggs
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
3 ½ to 4 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
For the syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
For the filling:
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted
1-tablespoon cinnamon
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1-cup raisins (optional)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1. Begin the dough by softening the yeast in the water in a large bowl.
2. Add the milk, shortening, eggs, ginger, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat vigorously with dough whisk or a heavy-handed spoon for 2 minutes.
3. Gradually add more of the remaining flour, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough forms a mass and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface.
4. Knead, adding more flour, a little at a time as necessary, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until you have a smooth elastic dough and blisters begin to develop on the surface.
5. Put the dough into an oiled bowl. Turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a tightly woven kitchen towel and let rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
6. Make the syrup by melting 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan. Add the brown sugar and corn syrup and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Immediately remove from the heat and divide evenly into 2 well-greased 9 x 2 inches round pans. Set aside and cool.
7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. Using a rolling pin, shape it into an 18x24 inch rectangle.
8. Prepare the filling by brushing the 4 tablespoons of melted butter over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a ½ inch border along the upper long side to make it easier to seal after rolling. Sprinkle the dough evenly with the cinnamon and brown sugar and if desired nuts and raisins.
9. Using your hands and starting at the filled edge, roll the dough to form a 24-inch cylinder. Pinch all along the edge to seal. Cut the cylinder into 16 equal pieces (see note)
10. Arrange 8 rolls in each pan to top of the cooled syrup, cut side up. Cover with a towel and let rise for about 50 minutes, until almost doubled.
11. About 15 minutes before the end of the rising, preheat oven to 350
12. Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes or until they are pale gold (the internal temperature should reach 190). Let them cool in the pans for 3 minutes and then invert onto plates. Leave pans on top of the rolls for another 2 minutes before removing to give the syrup opportunity to drip down the sides.
Note: The best way to cut rolled breads so that they keep their shaped is with 14inch length of plain, unwaxed dental floss. Wrap the floss around the index finger of each hand and pull taut. Lightly score the top of the cylinder with the floss so that you know where to cut. Slip the floss under the roll at the scoring, bring up the ends, cross them and pull them straight out to the sides.
