Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls!!



I {LOVE} The Pioneer Woman and have tried several of her recipes.  I recently have enjoyed watching her cooking show on The Food Network.  Last year around the holidays, they aired an episode that showcased PW making cinnamon rolls to give to neighbors and friends. The episode is still on my DVR.  I knew as I was watching, I NEEDED to try the cinnamon rolls one day.  So then one day I did. I failed to realize that they would make 50-70 rolls! Even the 9 cups or so of flour didn’t clue me into that fact. Clearly, I had the finished product in mind and want to just get there to taste them! I ended up baking up about 3 foil trays of about 9 rolls and put 4 trays in the freezer for another time! They were amazing cinnamon rolls, so soft, buttery, full of maple flavor and just so PW worthy and delicious.  I do have to say though, the amounts of butter and sugar were a little too excessive for my taste (and waistline) so I did modify the filling a bit. It was a lot of work and then waiting and then work and then waiting but it was easy stuff and SOOO worth it.  Here is my modified version of the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 quart Whole Milk
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
• 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
• 1 ½ cups Melted Butter
• 1 ½ cups Sugar
• Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon

MAPLE FROSTING:

• 1 bag Powdered Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/4 cup Melted Butter
• 1/4 cup Brewed Coffee
• 1/8 teaspoon Salt

Preparation Instructions

For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil.  Set aside and cool to warm.  Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.

Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour.  After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup flour.  Stir thoroughly to combine.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. I made my dough the night before and then made the rolls the following day.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.

To make the filling, pour 3/4 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly.  Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 3/4 cup of the sugar over the butter.  If you want to add more butter and/or sugar you can, the original recipe called for an extra cup of each but I thought this was plenty!!!
Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight.  When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, log.

With a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices.  Be sure not to cut them too thick as they will rise.  One “log” will produce 20 to 25 rolls or more if cut smaller.  Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pans and swirl to coat.  Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.)

Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 20 minutes before baking.  If you are planning to freeze any rolls, do not let them rise.  Cover them with foil and place into a ziplock bag and put in the freezer immediately.  Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown, but not overly brown.

While the rolls are baking, make the maple icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt.  Add in the maple flavoring and whisk until very smooth.  The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable. ** I just made half of the recipe when I baked 3 trays and it was the perfect amount.**
Remove pans from the oven.  Immediately drizzle icing over the top.  Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor.

These are definitely on my holiday baking list for this year. I think my friends and family would love to have a nice pan of these! I promise, even though it is a lot of work, it is so worth it. I have found that if I make the dough the day before and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight and make the rolls the next day, the process does not seem so overwhelming! Make some for your family, for friends, or even just for yourself and remember to take the Thyme to Savor…

Strawberry Scones

I have really fallen in love with scones lately.  Specifically the berry scones from a local bakery! I have had them several times at various work events and just love the flavor and texture of the scones.  A friend of mine shared a recipe for Blueberry Scones she made and I knew I had to make them.  I didn’t have blueberries on hand so I used strawberries instead. Here is the recipe. I left out the Orange Zest because I didn’t have any oranges and it still tasted fine!

· 2 cups all-purpose flour

· 1/2 cup sugar

· 1 tablespoon baking powder

· 1 teaspoon kosher salt

· 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (I left this out)

· 1 stick cold unsalted butter, grated

· 1 large egg, lightly beaten

· 1/2 cup cold heavy cream

· 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (or any other fruit cut small and drained of excess water)

· extra heavy cream for brushing the tops

· raw sugar for sprinkling the tops

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup sugar, the baking powder, orange zest, and salt. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed. Combine the egg and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy.  Add the blueberries to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn't stick.

Shape the dough into a square. Cut the square into quarters then cut again into eighths, diagonally, making triangles.

Brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch.

Serve warm with butter.

Try these today, I promise you will not be sorry. Whether you are having them for breakfast or just as an indulgent snack, make sure you take the Thyme to Savor...



Buttermilk Pancakes

Prepare these pancakes when fresh blueberries are in season, from late spring through late summer. When making the batter, take care not to over mix it, as too much stirring will develop the gluten in the flour and result in tough pancakes.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 TBS. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 ¼ cup buttermilk

4 TBS. butter, melted

½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 – 2 TBS. Butter

Softened butter for serving

Warm maple syrup for serving

Directions:
In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs on medium speed until frothy. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla. Stir just until the batter is smooth and no lumps of flour remain; do not over mix.

Heat an electric griddle to medium-high heat. Lightly grease the griddle with butter. Ladle about 1/3 cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake. (this would be the time to add any fruit or chocolate chips if you like.)  Cook until bubbles form on top and the batter is set, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve warm with butter and maple syrup. Makes about 16 pancakes; serves 4.

These really were really good.  Whether you think you like buttermilk pancakes or not, or if you have never made them (like me up until making these), you must try this.  I am sure they will be a huge hit with your family! Whether you make them for yourself or your family, remember to take the Thyme to Savor…

Sticky Buns

Sticky buns are so good first thing in the morning, freshly baked and homemade.  These are super easy and super yummy.  In fact, I actually entered a bake off at work and won 1^st place with this recipe! They will be a winner with everyone you make them for. Give them a try! The recipe is from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) and it’s foolproof.  Her recipe calls for raisins but we like the sticky buns without so I leave them out. 

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces
• 1 package (17.3-ounces/ 2-sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

For the filling:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins (I left them out)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

 Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2-inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns. I use the larger sheets of puff pastry I get at Smart and Final so one large sheets makes 12 buns for me! If you are using a large sheet like me, you just make one and dump all the ingredients and cut into 12.

 Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Be careful - they're hot! Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon) and cool completely. 

 These are amazing little buns filled with cinnamon and sugar. Make them today for someone you love and take the Thyme to Savor….