Baking up a batch of cinnamon rolls is truly one of my most favorite things to do as the weather gets cooler. I believe it is the combination of the cinnamon sugary sweetness along with working with a puffy and soft dough to create such a treat that makes my baking heart so happy. Beautiful Swanson of Chef in Disguise recently added a whole new level of happiness to my love for baking cinnamon rolls. She has taught me how to make TWISTED Cinnamon Rolls from a gorgeous recipe that I discovered on her blog via my November Secret Recipe Club assignment.
4 lovely layers of dough blanket melted butter which is then sprinkled with a cinnamon sugar coating on top of each dough layer. The layered circle of deliciousness is cut into 8 portions which are then cut again with a slit in their centers. The slit in the mid section provides the tip of each portion to be looped into it which creates the twist. So much fun! Swanson has created a perfect photo description of the process to make these twists. Please check it out HERE.
Chef in Disguise is a blog full of gorgeous food and recipes. My sense of awe and amazement continued to grow each time I took a moment to look through the recipes and stories that exist on Swanson's blog. Understandably I immediately fell in love with the Cinnamon Bread Twists. I also have my eye on a recipe for preciously delicious little "tea bag" cookies
along with a fascinating recipe for Spiced Banana Chocolate Jam . Not only will you find authentic and simple middle eastern recipes but well known recipes that catch your eye because of the beauty shown through Swanson's photography and staging.
I leave you now with this recipe for Cinnamon Roll Twists and hope that you take a moment to browse through Chef in Disguise for a delicious visual experience.
I adjusted the recipe slightly as I slathered the twists with Maple Cream Frosting as requested by my family. Not a bad request at all! If you'd like to stick to the original recipe, pour sweetened condensed milk over the twists once they have cooled a bit from coming out of the oven. Either way is d'lish.
Cinnamon Roll Twists (with Maple Cream Frosting)
(recipe from Chef in Disguise)
Dough Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk, warmed slightly
1/4 cup water, warmed slightly
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
2 tsp yeast
3 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
Filling Ingredients:
4 TBSP butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBSP cinnamon
Maple Cream Frosting Ingredients:
2 TBSP butter, melted
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp maple flavoring
2-3 TBSP milk
Directions:
In a large bowl mix together milk, water, sugar, butter, egg and yeast. Set bowl aside.
In a medium bowl sift together flour and salt. Add sifted flour and salt to the wet ingredients and mix well. Knead by hand or with a dough hook for a couple of minutes. Place dough into a well greased bowl and cover with a clean dish cloth. Allow to rise in a draft free space until dough has doubled in size - about 1 hour.
Mix together 1/2 cup sugar and 2 TBSP cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Once dough has doubled in size - take out of greased bowl and cut into 4 equal portions. Roll out each portion into a circle. Melt 4 TBSP's of butter and brush generously over each layer. Start first with one circle, brush with melted butter and then sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Do so 2 more times ending with the top layer of dough that should be just brushed with butter.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut circled layers into 8 equal portions. In the center of each portion cut a slit that starts about a 1/2" from the top and ends at an 1" before the bottom (see a detailed picture HERE...scroll about 1/2 way down the post). Take the tip of each portion and carefully loop through the cut slit - this creates the twist of the twist. Pinch the wider ends of each portion together.
Place twists onto a parchment paper lined round baking pan. Brush twists with any remaining butter. Place pan into preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until twists are lightly browned and baked through.
As twists cool slightly mix together Maple Cream Frosting - in a medium bowl combine melted butter, powdered sugar, maple extract and cream. Slather over slightly cooled cinnamon twists.
Enjoy!
Happy Cinnamon Roll Twist Baking!
