Cinnabon (Cinnamon Roll), The Simpler Way

Cinnabon, so I heard,  it is pretty expensive especially in Europe, and it says very difficult to achieve the authentic flavor at home. One would go extra miles on trial and error to recreate this famous American sweet breakfast treat. Out of curiousity, I try to make an attempt in my own kitchen. Since I never tasted the authentic one, I decided to used Michel Suas Recipe From Advance Bread and Pastry book. Uncomplicated, no scientific explanation, just plain, straight forward recipe. I used one muffin pan (I only own one), and a loaf pan. The result was not bad at all, the one that I baked using loaf pan came out really delicious, soft and fully. Unfortunately the one I made using muffin pan was slightly on the drier side. I know exactly why, I over baked it!. What I should have done was, took out the muffin pan perhaps 5 - 10 minutes earlier then the loaf pan. 

Cinnabon / Cinnamon Rolls
Adapted from Michel Suas's Sweet Roll Dough
Make : 24 rolls or 12 rolls and 1 loaf

12 oz  bread flour
2  3/8 oz cake flour
6 oz water
3/4 oz milk powder
2¼ oz eggs
3 oz sugar
1/4 oz  salt
1/4 oz Osmotolerant Yeast
4½ oz butter, cubed
Cinnamon Sugar Filling, recipe follows
Butter, soften at room temperature, for smearing on the dough (you could use water instead)

Place everything, but the butter in a mixer bowl, knead on the lowest setting  for 1 minute. Increase the speed to speed #2. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 to 10 minutes, add the cubed butter in three or four addition, continue to knead until gluten is fully develop. Oil lightly a container or a large bowl. Place the dough in it, cover with plastic or a lid, let the dough ferment for 1 hour, then refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, roll out the dough into 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick and 16 inch (41 cm) wide. Smear the soften butter to the entire surface, sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon filling, living about 1 inch (2 1/2 cm) from the edges. Roll the dough, cut into 1 1/2 inch (3 7/8 cm). Place the dough in muffin pans, cover with clean kitchen towel. Rest for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. 

Preheat oven to 385 F (196 C)

Bake in the middle rack for 15 minutes. Invert immediately onto cooling rack to cool completely before glazing with your own desire glaze. Since I am not a big fan of glaze, I drizzled the rolls lightly using a simple confectioner's sugar and lemon.

Cinnamon Sugar Filling :

3  1/8 oz sugar

3   1/8 oz brown sugar

1/8 oz cinnamon powder

Mix everything but the butter in a bowl. Set aside.

For YeastSpotting.

PARAVE Apple Strudel, A Perfect Dessert Idea For Kosher Thanksgiving

My father in law is coming to join us to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, so I have to make a Kosher menu which can be challenging to do if I want to make a little more elegant dessert such as cake or tart. Most  of my dessert as you know, always include dairy product. Thank goodness for that invention of phillo dough, I can make any elegant dessert or appetizer (even main course) without using any dairy product in it. Even if you think that using butter is imperative for pastry like phillo,  you can substitute it with  fancier oil, such as hazelnut oil, walnut oil, or olive oil. Not sure if your phillo dough is parave or not? Look closely at the label, or read the ingredients. Most phillo dough I purchase, always has word Parave or Prave at front box. 

So, for those who want to keep their Thanksgiving menu KOSHER, I think this version of apple strudel will be perfect to serve as dessert on this special family event. Good luck!

Parave Apple Strudel
adapted from here

4 medium size Golden Delicious apples 

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup or more hazelnut oil or walnut oil 

8 - 10 sheets phillo dough

Place the sugar into a shallow pan, or a skillet. Peel, core, and quarter the apples, arrange on top of sugar in circular pattern. Place the pan on the stove over medium low heat. Cook until the apples are caramelized (golden brown), turning them once so that the other side are caramelized as well. About 10 to 20 minutes on each side, depending on how dark/caramelized you want your apple is. Turn off the heat, cool completely.

Preheat oven to 375⁰ F.

Place a large clean kitchen towel on your working surface or kitchen counter top, Sprinkle lightly with flour, Lay one sheet of phillo dough directly on the kitchen towel with the widest side facing you, brush with oil, lay another layer, again, brush with oil, continue layering and brushing all sheets of phillo dough. Arrange the apple a long the side of the dough closer to you, leaving about 1 to 2 inch on each side (right and left). Fold the right and the left edge toward the middle,  with the help of the kitchen towel, roll the dough genty, like you would roll a Swiss or jelly roll. Transfer onto baking sheet, brush the top with more oil.

Bake in the middle rack for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If desire, sprinkle with confectioner's  sugar before serving.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE !!!!!!!

Kougelhopf or Kugelhopf. Alsatian Famous Sweet Fragrant Bread With Almond, Homemade Candied Orange Peel and Dried Currants

I wouldn't mind to have a ritual warm Kougelhopf/Kugelhopf breakfast every morning, really ! I just love the fragrant that it gives during the baking process, and of course the taste of homemade candied orange peel is really sensational. Honestly, I think people in other part of the world, for example, Europe and South East asia  really know how to enjoy and start their day. Think about croissant, brioche, any other sweet and delicious morning bread, the same thing with people in SE Asia, they start their morning by having savory soup, noodle soup, or a bowl of  hot steaming rice porridge with delicious condiments. And I, here in the States ? Cereal,  yogurt not sure what else, and that, bored me !. I am not so much of those muffins, scones, or other sweet or savory American breakfast person. But, this is just me, so don't give me a hard time okay. Honestly though, would you be bored having croissant or brioche or Kougelhopf/Kugelhopf for breakfast each morning ?

note:
I am not entirely sure what is the right spelling for this delicious bread. Some book spell Kugelhopf, and my Alsatian book spell, Kougelhopf.

Kougelhopf/Kugelhopf

recipe adapted from Anne Willan, The Country Cooking Of France

makes two 8-inch/20-cm  kugelhopf molds or tube pans

3 cups flour

1 tsp SAF yeast

1 tsp salt

1 cup milk

1/2 cup + 2 tbs soften butter for the molds

3 tbs honey

zest of 1 lemon

zest of 1 orange

3 eggs, lightly beaten with fork

1/2 cup dried currants

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped candied orange peel

4 tbs sliced almond

Place flour and the yeast in a mixer bowl, mix with your hand or a wooden spoon. Add salt - mix. Attached the dough hook on your mixer. Then add, milk, 1/2 cup soften butter, honey, lemon  and orange zest, lightly beaten eggs. Knead using the first speed until all ingredients are combine. Increase the speed to speed #2, continue to knead until the dough is shiny and elastic, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the dried currants, raisins, and candied orange peel, mix just to combine, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer the dough into a large oiled container, or a large bowl. Cover, let rest for 1 to 2 hours until double in size.

Lightly floured the counter top. Turn the dough directly on a counter top, fold onto itself  once. Cover lightly with plastic for 5 to 15 minutes. 

Grease each Kugelhopf mold liberally with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of almonds slices on each mold, including the side of the molds. 

Divide the dough into two equal portion. Shape  each portion into a round ball, make a hole in the middle, then place them into each mold. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour. 

Preheat oven to 375⁰F.

Bake the bread until they are puff and golden brown, about 25 to 35 minutes. Turn them out onto wire rack to cool down.  

For YeastSpotting !

Rum Marble Cake With Chocolate and Coconut Milk

Rum, coconut milk, don't they remind you of tropical flavor? The look of this cake is similar to Tiger Cake that I made a while back. but it is completely different recipe. Tiger cake has olive oil and a little bit black pepper in it, this rum marble has rum and coconut milk. The cake is a fun to make, tastes delicious, and pretty moist. I lightly drizzled the cake with rum glaze, but you can absolutely welcome to  cover the entire cake with more glaze if you like. It will taste even better, it make a perfect treat for us, the grown up people. If you do glazed the entire cake with this rum glaze, make sure to hide it  from your toddlers and your teens ☺

Rum Marble Cake With Chocolate and Coconut Milk
serve 8 to 12

For the cake:

3 cups sugar

3 sticks butter + 1 tbs to grease the pan, soften at room temperature

2 eggs, room temperature

4 egg yolks, room temperature

2⅓ cup flour

1/3 cup corn starch

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 small can (5.6 fl oz ) coconut milk   

3 tbs dark rum

2 tbs cocoa powder

1/4 cup coconut cream    

For the glaze:

3 tbs confectioner's sugar

1 tbs rum

lemon juice, as needed

Preparation :

A. Place eggs and egg yolks in a bowl, mix lightly with fork. Set aside.

B. Place the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix with a hand-whisk to aerate them. Set aside

C. In another small bowl, mix coconut milk and dark rum. Set aside

D. In another small bowl, mix cocoa powder and coconut cream. Set aside

Preheat oven to 350⁰ F. 

Grease a large bunt pan with butter, dust with flour, tap excess flour. Set aside.

With an electric mixer set on  medium speed, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy, scrape the bowl often. Add the egg  mixture (A) in three addition. Make sure to beat well in each addition, don't forget to scrape the side of the mixer bowl. Turn the machine to a low speed, add the flour mixture (B) in three addition alternating with coconut milk mixture (C) in two addition, begin and end with flour mixture. Turn back the machine to medium. Beat for 30 seconds. Turn off the machine.

Set aside 1½ cups of the batter, mix with cocoa mixture (D).

Pour half of the plain batter into prepared bunt pan, add the chocolate batter, cover with the remaining batter. Shake the pan and tap gently to even out and to get rid of the unwanted bubles/air. No need to marbling the batter, it will do its own magic during the baking process. 

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Un mold, cool completely. Drizzle lightly (or heavily) with with rum glaze.

To make the glaze:

In a small bowl, mix confectioner's sugar and rum until smooth, drizzle like consistency, if its too stiff add a few drop lemon juice.

Bara Brith. Welsh Famous Speckled Bread

I have made Bara Brith before, and never forgot how delicious it was. Perfumed with candied orange peel as well as other dried fruit that has been soaked with strong brewed tea, it wins my heart at a first bite. Do you know that Bara Brith also serve for breakfast on Christmas morning? Sounds pretty  comforting, doesn't it ?

Thanks to Rosa who found this link and posted on her facebook. The website has many interesting historical British  food from the dark age to a modern era, which I am particularly curious about.

Bara Brith. Welsh famous Speckled Bread

adapted from Historical Foods 

Yield 2 loafs

850 g bread flour

20 g osmotolerant yeast

150 g demerara sugar

100 g butter, melted

50 dried currant

50 g dried sultana

50 g raisin

50 g candied citrus peel, recipe here if you'd like to make your own

strong brewed English black tea

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

2 eggs, lightly beaten with fork (just enough to combine the yolks and the whites)

400 ml warm water

1 tbs black treacle (I didn't use any)

To glaze : 1 tablespoon runny honey

The night before you are planning to make the bread, soak the dried currants, sultanas, and the raisins with strong brewed black tea, then strain and drain them in a colander the following morning. Add candied orange peel - mix. 

In a bowl, add warm water, demerara sugar, and black treacle. Mix to combine.

In a mixer bowl, add flour, yeast, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt - mix with a wooden spoon to combine. Add water mixture, melted butter, and the eggs. Attach the dough hook on your electric mixer. Knead the dough on low for one minute, then increase the speed to medium low, continue to knead for 5 minutes. Turn the speed to low, add the drained dried fruit, mix just to combine about 30 seconds to one minute. Transfer the dough into lightly oiled large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 2 hours, or until double in size. 

Turn the dough into lightly floured counter top, fold onto itself once. Cover with plastic, let it rest for 15 minutes. 

Prepare a large cookies sheet, sprinkle generously with corn meal. Divide the dough in half. Shape each dough into round or into batard shape. Transfer to cookies sheet with seam side down, cover with another clean kitchen towel. Let rise for another hour or until double in size.

Preheat oven to 400F. Just prior to load the bread into the oven, score or scores  the dough. Bake in the middle rack for 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer onto cooling (wire) rack, brush with runny honey. Cool completely before serving.

Note : I actually added lemon zest from 2 lemons to the ingredients before kneading it. It gives that nicely lemony fragrant to the bread.

For YeastSpotting

No Knead Sourdough Bread

I remember  being so proud of my self when I first made this infamous No Knead Bread. Showed off and bragged about it over and over to all of my friends, and forced them to taste and make it them self.  I was also pretty impressed (more surprised actually) that, I didn't have to knead the dough in order to make a good and delicious bread. I made it so often,  and never bored from eating it too. Then,  it all changed after I discovered wild yeast aka sourdough starter, fascinated by this natural leavener, I started to practice making all different kind of sourdough bread.

However, today I wanted to go back to my memory lane, where my knowledge of baking bread was really next to nothing. I decided to make this effortless bread once again, but using sourdough starter instead of commercial yeast. I think this recipe is particularly useful to those who doesn't own a stand electric mixer. Fair to say that I am pretty satisfied with the taste. In other word, delicious !

Sourdough Bread, No Need To Knead
recipe idea from NYtimes 

2½ cups bread flour
1/2 cup mature hydration sourdough starter
1¼ tsp salt
1 cups + 2 tbs water

Place all ingredients in a large bowl, mix with your hand or wooden spoon to incorporate the ingredients. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, let rest at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours.

Turn the dough onto lightly floured  counter top, fold the dough onto itself once or twice. Cover with plastic, let rest 15 minutes.

Sprinkle  a kitchen towel generously with flour. Shape the dough into a ball, place it directly on top, with the seam side up. Or, you can use a round bannetton if you own one. Let rest for 1 to 2 hours.

Place a baking stone or pizza stone on a lower rack, preheat oven to 450⁰ F. When the oven is ready spray the oven wall with water shut the door immediately to trap the steam.

Transfer the dough into baking peel or cookie sheet that has been sprinkled with corn meal.  Slide the dough directly into the baking stone, spray the oven wall water for about 5 to 7 spray, shut the door immediately. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

For Yeast Spotting !