cinnamon rolls with vanilla bean glaze

yum! cinnamon rolls are so good and pretty easy to make. the only drawback is that they're time consuming, but it is definitely possible to prepare the dough the night before and then roll it out and bake it in the morning.

i found this recipe by cruising food network's website, but i didn't have any nut so i omitted them and instead was heavy handed when measuring out the sugar and cinnamon. additionally, i love vanilla and will put it in anything so i added about a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste to the glaze.

cinnamon buns
courtesy of the little red barn baking book (clarkson potter, 2000) by adriana rabinovich
makes 12 rolls

for the dough:
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2-4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten

for the filling:
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecan nuts, lightly toasted (i omitted this)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

for the glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons milk
(+ 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, if you desire a vanilla glaze)

To make the dough, dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in 1/2 cup lukewarm water. Set aside for about 5 minutes until foamy. Meanwhile, warm the milk in a saucepan. Add the butter, remaining sugar, and salt, and stir until dissolved. Remove from the heat.

Sift 3 cups of flour into a large bowl. Add the yeast, warm milk mixture, and the egg, and stir to make a dough. Knead for 10 minutes on a lightly floured board, incorporating more flour as necessary, until the dough is soft, silky, and pliable. Form into a ball. Place in a buttered bowl and turn to coat the dough all over. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise until twice its original size. This will take about 2 hours. At this point, the dough can be left overnight in the fridge, ready to use the next morning. When well risen, punch down the dough, then leave to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, butter a baking sheet. Prepare filling by mixing the sugar, cinnamon, and nuts in a small bowl.

Roll out the dough into a rectangle measuring about 12 x 9 inches. Brush with the melted butter. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the dough, pressing it in slightly. Roll up the dough like a jelly roll, starting at one long side. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll across into 12 equal slices. Arrange the rolls, cut-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Allow to rise, covered, for at least 40 minutes until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until well risen and golden. While the buns are in the oven, prepare the glaze (and get the coffee started). Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Whisk in the melted butter and enough milk to make a thick but pourable mixture. When the buns are ready, remove from the oven. Pour the glaze over them and leave to set for a few minutes before devouring.

honestly, these were so good without the nuts i don't think i will add them the next time i make these. i've never been a huge nut person, so just cinnamon and brown sugar is enough for me. half of them are already gone since i made them a day or two ago, and i'm the only one eating them.

homemade pizza! om nom nom

i'm finalllyyyy updating this blog again. for the past week i've been hooked on making pizza from scratch. i think i'm also catching on to this food blogging thing. as i snapped a picture of the finished product i realized i should've shown the dough after i punched it down, the chopped vegetables in their bowls, etc. oh well. live and learn. next time though!

i found this recipe on allrecipes and i think it's pretty good. i don't have anything to compare it to though, since this has been my first attempt at making crust

jay's signature pizza crust.
from allrecipes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.
3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
5. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes

i've made this crust recipe twice (and it makes enough for two pizzas) so far and would definitely recommend adding some herbs or garlic powder to the dough, or else it may be a bit bland. the first time i made it, i brushed some melted butter and herbs onto the exposed crust after putting the toppings on!

I don't have a pizza stone so i baked it in the pan (oiled and sprinkled with cornmeal) for about 7 minutes by itself. be sure to spread some oil and poke some holes in it so it doesn't get bubbles.

then for sauce i used some homemade stuff i threw together. cook onion and garlic in some oil, add spices. then add a can of diced (or crushed) tomatoes, a few heaping tablespoons of tomato paste, and a spoonful of sugar. stir over medium heat and then let simmer for, i dunno, 10 or 15 minutes. this will make enough for 2 pizzas.

today i threw on all of the veggies i had left from previous recipes. sliced mushrooms, minced onion, and black olives. i would've liked to have some other things on it, but it was still super yum because i used a mix of mozzarella, asiago, parmesan, and monterey jack cheese tossed with garlic powder and more basil and oregano.


oops, i got a bit distracted this evening and let it hang out in the oven for a bit too long. cheese got a little too brown, but it was still the best pizza i've made to date.

the pizza pan i own is 12 or 13 inches i think. i can eat half a pizza in one sitting easily, haha.