Brace yourself for the best cinnamon rolls you’ve ever eaten. These unctuous, moreish treats are an absolute delight, but be aware that because they are based on a yeast dough they take time, so plan well ahead so that you, your family, and friends will not be disappointed.
Dry Ingredients
• 550gms plain flour
• ½ cup custard powder
• 2 tbsps. brown sugar
• 2 tsps. salt
• 1½ tsps. dried yeast
Wet Ingredients
• 240mls lukewarm milk
• 1 60gm egg
• 60gms soft butter
Filling Ingredients:
• 100 gms butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 tsps. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup crushed walnuts
Method:
1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixmaster with a dough hook.
2. Beat all the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl using a fork.
3. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in the mix master. The dough should come away from the sides of the bowl when it is properly mixed. If the mixture seems too wet add more flour, tablespoon by tablespoon. Similarly, if the mixture appears too dry add milk by the tablespoon until the desired consistency is reached (this variation can occur because of the type of flour used).
4. Keep mixing the dough in the mixmaster for 6 minutes.
5. Turn off the mixmaster, cover the mixmaster bowl in cling film, and take the dough hook away to wash and dry.
6. When the mixture has doubled in size (approx. 1 ½ to 2 hours later), insert the dough hook back into the mixmaster and mix again for another 6 minutes.
7. Turn off the mixmaster, cover the mixmaster bowl in cling film, and take the dough hook away to wash and dry.
8. When the mixture has once again risen to double in size (the second rise is often quicker, taking about 1 hour), empty the dough onto a floured surface, and using a floured rolling pin, roll out until it is a rectangle approximately 48cms long and 36cms wide.
9. Make the filling by creaming the butter, sugar and cinnamon together. Spread the filling onto the dough rectangle leaving a gap of 2cms from each edge.
10. Sprinkle the crushed walnuts on top of the filling.
11. Roll up the dough on the long side of the rectangle.
12. You should now have a “sausage” shape of dough. Cut the dough into 12 equal portions (4cms for each portion).
13. Grease a high sided large square or rectangle cake tin. Line with baking paper.
14. Carefully lift each roll into the tin putting the seam side next to the tin or butt up against another roll.
15. Cover the rolls with cling film and allow them to proof in the tin for 1 hour.
16. Preheat your oven to 200oC.
17. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Enjoy the rolls for breakfast with a cup of coffee or have them for dessert with cream and/or ice cream.
