Almost-Famous Cinnamon Buns

Because of the freezing cold outside, today I felt like something sweet and which would keep me warm. What better than a tray of home-made cinnamon buns?! Here is how they look. If you want to make them too, follow the steps. Be prepared for a time consuming process, but the result I think it's worth it :) ( not when you're on the treadmill, trying to take the calories off :)) 

The recipe measurements is in cups and spoons. You can buy cups and spoons for measuring ingredients from many kitchen shops or from Carrefour, Selgros etc. 

What you need: 

For the Dough: 

- 1 cup whole milk

- 28 gr active dry yeast ( 4 little packs of 7 grams each)

- 1/4 cup plus 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the bowl

- 1 large egg yolk

- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed

- 3/4 teaspoon salt

For the Filling:

- all purpose flour for dusting when rolling the dough

- 12 tablespoons  butter,softened

- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (I used light brown sugar. I like its taste more)

- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the Glaze:

- 2 cups confectioners' sugar ( powder sugar)

- 1/3 cup heavy cream

- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

How to make it:

1. Make the dough: Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat until it reaches about 100. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the yeast and 1/4 teaspoon sugar (don't stir). Set aside for about 5 minutes:

 2. Whisk in the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla:

3. Whisk the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer ( for this I love my KitchenAid). Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until thick and slightly sticky. Knead on medium speed until the dough gathers around the hook, 6 minutes. (Add up to 2 more tablespoons flour if necessary):

4. Remove the dough and shape into a ball. Butter the mixer bowl and return the dough to the bowl, turning to coat with butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 1 hour 15 minutes.

5. Now you can rest until the dough rises. 

6. To make the filling, you don't need to do much. I have actually made a mistake and mixed the butter with the light brown sugar and the cinnamon. What you need to do is to roll the dough on a lightly floured surface and spread all over it the soft butter and then to spread the surface with the light brown sugar and with the cinnamon. Like this you may avoid any serious leakage of the filling into your oven...It happened to me :)

7. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Roll the dough and cut it as you can see in the picture:

8. Cover the buns with plastic foil and let them double in size ( about half an hour).When they have doubled, put them in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes ( until they are lightly golden). After they are done, let them cool on the tray for about 10 minutes and then pour the glazing on them while they are still warm. 

9. To make the glaze, mix with a fork the powder sugar, heavy cream and melted oil. 

After making the glaze I prefer to pour it into something like this to avoid messiness when pouring it over the buns. Looks prettier too... 

Now, after you have taken the buns out of the oven and they cooled just a little bit, pour the glazing on them and enjoy... :)