Tea Time Treats - January 2012

This months 'Teatime Treats Blogging Challenge' theme over at Lavender and Lovage is sweet pastries and breads.   'The Tea-time Treats Blogging challenge' is hosted on alternate months by Kate at What Kate Baked and Karen at Lavender and Lovage.  Any one can enter and at the end of the month there is a 'Showcase' round up of everyone's delicious contributions and ideas.  I will be entering  'Cinnamon Rolls' this month.  I have blogged about these beauties twice before Here and Here.  If you haven't made them yet, I strongly recommend you give them a go.   

Ingredients

Serves: 12

• 15g (1/2 oz) dried active baking yeast
• 7 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 450ml (16 fl oz) warm water (45 C)
• 800g (1 3/4 lb) plain flour, divided
• 2 eggs
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 dessertspoon ground cinnamon

Method

(I put the dough ingredients in my trusty old Bread Machine and let him do all the work.  Then I have time to write my blog!)  

1.

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and 7 tablespoons sugar in warm water. Stir in salt and half of the flour. Beat mixture for 2 minutes. Beat in eggs and oil. Stir in the remaining flour, a little at a time, beating well after each addition.

2.

When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together remaining sugar and 1 dessertspoon cinnamon; set aside.

3.

Divide the dough into twelve equal pieces. Take each piece of dough, roll into a log and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Then roll up the log into a pinwheel. Place the pinwheels in a lightly greased 23x33 cm (9x13 in) baking tin. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180 C / Gas mark 4.

4.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until golden.

Tip:

For a delicious addition, you can add sultanas, Craisins, pecans, or walnuts to the cinnamon and sugar mixture just before you make the dough into pinwheels.  I have also left mine over night so they are ready to bake in the morning.  You are hard pushed to find a better start to the day than a warm Cinnamon Roll and a house that is filled with a sweet cinnamon aroma.