Today here in Florida it’s raining and I know up north they are expecting below zero weather, so what a great time to bake a little. Today I decided to make a Cinnamon roll with a twist. Instead of the standard cinnamon roll I decided to change it up a little and twist the dough and use sugar instead of brown sugar to give the exterior a little crispness. You can either sprinkle the finish product while warm with cinnamon sugar or mix a batch of cream cheese topping and spread over the cooled twisted cinnamon roll….I did the latter.

Dough
1 cup of warm milk 110 degrees
2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast
1/3 cup unsalted butter (melted)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
4 cups All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
In a small bowl add the milk and whisk in the yeast. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment add in the butter, sugar, sour cream and egg, mix until incorporated. In a separate bowl add 3 1/2 cups of flour and salt. Mix well and place the remaining 1/2 cup of flour off to the side. Change the attachment to a dough hook and begin adding the mixed flour and yeast slowly into the butter mixture at a medium speed. Add in the remaining flour as needed. The dough should be smooth and pull away from the side of the mixing bowl cleanly. Pull the dough and spray the mixing bowl with vegetable spray. Place the dough in the mixing bowl and flip to coat both sides. Cover loosely and place in a warm area until double in size. About 1 hour.
Spray a 12″ cake pan with vegetable spray and pre heat your oven to 350 degrees
Filling
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
1 egg (beaten)
In a small bowl add the cinnamon and sugar and mix well. Pull the dough and punch down, allow the dough to rest for about 5 minutes and in the mean time melt the butter and lightly beat the egg in separate bowls. Roll the dough out to approximately 12″ x 21″ and spread the melted butter on top. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Start rolling the dough length wise and brush the egg onto the side of the dough without the filling as you roll. When completed pinch the seam to seal. With the seam side down take a knife and split the dough in half length wise leaving about 1″ together at the end. Twist each piece and form a circle then place into the prepared pan. Place the pan in a warm area and allow to rise again to almost double for at least 30 minutes. Bake 50 – 55 minutes in the center of your oven.
Topping
Cinnamon Sugar
1/4 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon mixed well or
Cream Cheese topping.
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
Mix all ingredients well until creamy in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool 20 minutes before removing from the pan. If you are using the cinnamon sugar apply while hot. For the Cream cheese topping allow to cool completely.
Enjoy
Chef Brian Klauss