Saturday, August 30, 2008

Cinnamon Pecan Rolls

Cinnamon has been my favourite spice ever since I started cooking.It has a distinct flavour that makes it stand apart and it is widely used in spicy gravies and sweet dishes as well. In everyday cooking I use cinnamon for curries or rices but cinnamon rolls is a recipe that I tried out as an tribute to my favourite spice.I enhanced it by adding chopped pecans but flavour comes from cinnamon and cinnamon only. I found this recipe at epicurious and was excited that this was eggless.I used only half of the quantity specified but they turned out well.

Ingredients:

All Purpose flour: 1and 3/4 cups
Cinnamon ground: 1 tbsp
Salt:1/2 tsp
Yeast: 1 envelope
Warm water:3/4 to 1 cup
Sugar: 7 tbsp
Vegetable Oil: 1/2 tbsp+ needed to grease
Unsalted Butter (room temperature):1 stick
Pecans: 1 cup chopped/crushed/halved
Cloves: 2(Optional)

Preparation:

In a large bowl,combine warm water and 2 tbsp of sugar and yeast.Set aside till it foams. To this foamy mix,add vegetable oil and salt.Then add little by little flour to this and knead to form a dough.I had actually used only half cup of water to foam the yeast and I added extra water as needed after adding the flour.Also knead taking your time as the effect shows on the rolls.The dough will be smooth and elastic.

Take another bowl,lightly grease it with vegetable oil and put the dough into this.Rotate the dough so that it is covered with oil on all sides.Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel and keep it in a warm area till it doubles in volume.This will take minimum 1 hr.

Preheat the oven to 325F.In a bowl add butter,remaining sugar and cinnamon and cream together.You can add 1or2 cloves powdered to this mix.Clove is said to enhance the cinnamon flavour.But this is optional.Chop or crush or half pecans and keep aside.I coarsely crushed the pecans in the blender and I think this made it easier while rolling.

When the dough is ready and doubled ,flour a working surface and put the dough there.Do not punch down the dough.While taking out itself it may become almost normal size(mine did)but its okay.Roll the dough into a rectangular shape.It should be around 1 to 11/2 inch thick.Spread the butter-sugar-cinnamon mix evenly on the rectangle.You can leave little edges free of the mix for easier rolling.On the mix sprinkle the pecans.You can actually add any nuts you want or even a mix of them.

Starting from the longest side roll up the dough to form a log.Here a trick I used is stretch and roll.Doing this enhances the roll or so Ihave seen.This is optional.Seal the edges and pinch the seam.Cut into equal pieces.The original recipe was for 12 big rolls.I halved the measurements and cut mine into 12 medium rolls.

Take a rectangular baking dish and grease it.If you've the butter-sugar-cinnamon mix remaining,then spread it all over the dish.Top this evenly with the pecan crushed and place the rolls cut side down on this dish.Cover this with a plastic wrap and keep in a warm area till it becomes light and puffed, for 30 minutes.

Keep the pan in the center of the oven and bake at 325 F for 30-35 minutes or until the top becomes golden brown.If the rolls stick together or to the pan gently release them.Cool on a baking sheet.Serve warm or at room temperature.

Fresh from the oven...




Another look..


As far I am concerned Cinnamon is the best spice in the whole world.It has got health benefits as many household remedies are around it.More about Cinnamon here and here.It has rare side effects as well eg: Cinnamon oil has been connected to the causation of miscarriages.

Anyway Cinnamon Pecan Rolls are going to Sunita's World for Think Spice:Think Favourite "Think Cinnamon" to tantalize her Kitchen with a mouth watering aroma as she celebrates the first anniversary of Think Spice Event.CONGRATS Sunita,Enjoy the Cinnamon Pecan Roll.

2 Comments:

sunita said...

I love cinammon rolls...thanks for sending yours over :-)

lubnakarim06 said...

Wow cinnamon rolls. Looks gr8 and iam gonna try this soon.

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