Sunday 21 August 2011

I'm 31 - let's get fat!

Thirty-one years of my life will be celebrated tomorrow. Thirty-one years of a life well lived - a life well loved. I have travelled a little, I have experienced a little more and I have loved every little bump and struggle in my road of life. My choice to move countries broke many hearts, including my own. But it was a chance I hastily took and a chance that proved to be one that I will never regret. I have become an honest married woman, birthed a rad little being, and finally feel like I am coming into my own. My creative juices have surfaced and I am doing my best to hone in my craft(s). 


Luckily for my colleagues at work one of my dabbled in crafts is baking. There is a little tradition at my work that I still don't fully understand - your birthday so you bring the cake...for everyone. I don't really mind because it's an excuse for me to make something tasty and to not devour it all on my lonesome. I did put a little bit of extra time into this one. Made it special. Made it full of calories.    


Cinnamon buns:


In a cup dissolve 7.5 ml of yeast and a teaspoon of sugar in a 1/4 of a cup warm water. Let it hang out for 5 minutes or so - it will get bubbly. 




While that's doing it's thing, throw these ingredients into the bowl of your mixer: 3/4 of a cup milk, four tablespoons butter, three egg yolks, one tablespoon orange zest, 1 and a 1/4 teaspoons salt and roughly 3 and a half cups of flour depending on the wetness of your dough (leave 1 cup aside and add a little at a time once you start mixing). Chuck the yeast into the bowl when it's ready and get your dough mix happening. When it's not sticky to the touch, it's ready. Give it a good knead on a floured surface then into a greased bowl to rise. Double it in size - 1 hour or so depending on how warm she gets. 


Once risen, roll out to form a rectangle. Brush with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and then sprinkle your filling over the top. Filling includes: half a cup of brown sugar, 3 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of nutmeg. I like raisins, so they made an appearance plus some toasted pistachios. 



Roll this up into a long tube and cut into even chunks. I managed to get 20 buns. In a pot melt up 3/4 of a cup brown sugar, four tablespoons of butter and a 1/4 of a cup maple syrup. Pour this into the deep pan you are intending on using and sprinkle with more nuts, if you're keen. On top of the sugar syrup place your rolls swirly side up and pretty close together. Let them hang for ten minutes to puff up. Get them in a 180c oven for 30 minutes. Right when you take them out flip them over onto a baking tray or serving dish so the bottom now becomes your top. The syrup is super hot so be really careful! Next step is the best...EAT!




4 comments:

  1. Looks good and calorific!

    ~Aeron

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  2. Wow GREAT work! I would make those if i wasn't so lazy right now

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  3. Absolutely delicious Janel :)

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  4. Wow! How good do those look!
    ~mom

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