Why do I keep doing this? Making stuff for work functions? Who knows. I end up tired but somehow happy that I have reminded folks that homemade is very different than store-bought. Even from bakery goods.
Okay so there was a 9 am meeting of all the vendors involved in an upcoming renovation at the resort I work at. It was supposed to be only about 8 people but all the subs wanted to come so the tally ended up at 25 after I volunteered for rolls for 10.
Well, I have a Cinnamon Roll recipe I got in the late 60s or early 70s from the University of Minnesota Cafeteria (yup, a college cafeteria) and to this day it makes the best rolls I have ever tasted. Lovely huge soft bready rolls with lots of buttery cinnamon sugar inside and a maple glaze (powdered sugar, cream, Mapleine) drizzled over the top. Really good. So I decided to bake the rolls the night before and drizzle them in the morning.
2 batches, 25 cups of flour, 10 egg yolks and a whole lotta other stuff later my kitchen looked like a blizzard went through but I had two pans of beautiful Cinnamon Rolls baking. The next morning I heated them gently at 250 then brought them back to room temp (wanted that just-out-of-the-oven consistency without drying them out), took them to work, cut them apart, arranged on a huge platter and drizzled the icing over the top.
In came the meeting attendees. They gathered around the food table where I also had a cut fruit platter, coffee and juices. I don't think I have ever seen a huge platter of rolls go so quickly. There were just a few left which got snatched in the middle of the meeting. It was fun for me- the comments were just what you would expect...."I haven't had rolls like these since I was a kid and my Grandma made them", etc.
Here is the recipe if you want to give them a try- because of the tropical climate here I end up using at least a cup more flour but I still leave the dough a bit sticky before rolling it out.
Good luck and enjoy the comments
U OF M CAFETERIA CINNAMON ROLLS
4 Tbsp yeast (I use fast-rise yeast)
1/4 C sugar
1 C warm (104°) water
1/2 C sugar
2 Tbsp salt
3/4 C evaporated milk
1 C Crisco
5 egg yolks
2-1/2 C hot (120°) water
10-1/2 C all-purpose flour
melted butter
1 C sugar mixed with 1 Tbsp cinnamon
Icing (recipe below)
Dissolve yeast and 1/4 C sugar in 1 C warm water. Set aside until foamy. Mix 1/2 C sugar, salt, evaporated milk, Crisco and egg yolks in a large bowl until well blended. Add the hot water and mix. Add 4 C of the flour and mix well. Add the yeast mixture and blend well. Add remaining 6-1/2 C flour one at a time- you should have a nice, elastic dough that is just barely sticky to the touch. Let rest for 5 minutes. Knead 50 times then shape into two long loaves. Let rest 10 minutes. Roll loaves into rectangles 1/2" thick. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Moisten the upper edge of the dough with water then roll from bottom to top and pinch to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 2" rolls. Place side by side in a greased 10" X 14" pan. Cover lightly with a dish towel and allow to rise until doubled in bulk (15 min for fast-rise yeast) then bake at 325° for 30 minutes or more until golden on top. Allow to cool in pan. Drizzle icing over top and wait for the compliments!
Icing: About 2 C powdered sugar, 2 tsp Mapleine or 1 tsp vanilla and enough milk or cream to make a drizzle.
Okay so there was a 9 am meeting of all the vendors involved in an upcoming renovation at the resort I work at. It was supposed to be only about 8 people but all the subs wanted to come so the tally ended up at 25 after I volunteered for rolls for 10.
Well, I have a Cinnamon Roll recipe I got in the late 60s or early 70s from the University of Minnesota Cafeteria (yup, a college cafeteria) and to this day it makes the best rolls I have ever tasted. Lovely huge soft bready rolls with lots of buttery cinnamon sugar inside and a maple glaze (powdered sugar, cream, Mapleine) drizzled over the top. Really good. So I decided to bake the rolls the night before and drizzle them in the morning.
2 batches, 25 cups of flour, 10 egg yolks and a whole lotta other stuff later my kitchen looked like a blizzard went through but I had two pans of beautiful Cinnamon Rolls baking. The next morning I heated them gently at 250 then brought them back to room temp (wanted that just-out-of-the-oven consistency without drying them out), took them to work, cut them apart, arranged on a huge platter and drizzled the icing over the top.
In came the meeting attendees. They gathered around the food table where I also had a cut fruit platter, coffee and juices. I don't think I have ever seen a huge platter of rolls go so quickly. There were just a few left which got snatched in the middle of the meeting. It was fun for me- the comments were just what you would expect...."I haven't had rolls like these since I was a kid and my Grandma made them", etc.
Here is the recipe if you want to give them a try- because of the tropical climate here I end up using at least a cup more flour but I still leave the dough a bit sticky before rolling it out.
Good luck and enjoy the comments
U OF M CAFETERIA CINNAMON ROLLS
4 Tbsp yeast (I use fast-rise yeast)
1/4 C sugar
1 C warm (104°) water
1/2 C sugar
2 Tbsp salt
3/4 C evaporated milk
1 C Crisco
5 egg yolks
2-1/2 C hot (120°) water
10-1/2 C all-purpose flour
melted butter
1 C sugar mixed with 1 Tbsp cinnamon
Icing (recipe below)
Dissolve yeast and 1/4 C sugar in 1 C warm water. Set aside until foamy. Mix 1/2 C sugar, salt, evaporated milk, Crisco and egg yolks in a large bowl until well blended. Add the hot water and mix. Add 4 C of the flour and mix well. Add the yeast mixture and blend well. Add remaining 6-1/2 C flour one at a time- you should have a nice, elastic dough that is just barely sticky to the touch. Let rest for 5 minutes. Knead 50 times then shape into two long loaves. Let rest 10 minutes. Roll loaves into rectangles 1/2" thick. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Moisten the upper edge of the dough with water then roll from bottom to top and pinch to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 2" rolls. Place side by side in a greased 10" X 14" pan. Cover lightly with a dish towel and allow to rise until doubled in bulk (15 min for fast-rise yeast) then bake at 325° for 30 minutes or more until golden on top. Allow to cool in pan. Drizzle icing over top and wait for the compliments!
Icing: About 2 C powdered sugar, 2 tsp Mapleine or 1 tsp vanilla and enough milk or cream to make a drizzle.
