Thanks to everyone who participated in March's recipe contest. We had a WIDE variety of CINNAMON ROLL recipes submitted, everything from caramel pecan rolls to some made with whole wheat flour. This month was telling--for me anyway--of how cooking usually goes. I liked certain aspects of A LOT of the recipes and so there is a TIE. The winners are...Roma Tidwell (my adorable sister in law who didn't even know her recipe was entered) for the roll/dough portion and my cousin Amanda Reynolds for the filling & frosting portions. They will each be receiving a gift card to Cold Stone. I will post the new category for the month of April in a few days. If you ever have a topic suggestion, let me know!
The hybrid recipe is as follows:
2 C warm water, 2 1/2 Tbs yeast, 3/4 c sugar--allow to proof for 10 min.
Add 1/3 c oil, 1 1/2 tsp salt , 2 beaten eggs--mix well and slowly add 1 small pkg vanilla pudding and 7 C flour. Allow to knead for 7-10 min with dough hook & rise until double. While rising, mix 1 C softened butter, 1 1/2 C brown sugar, 6 Tbs cinnamon, 3 tsp cornstarch.
Roll out about 1/4 inch thickness and spread with filling leaving a 1 inch unfilled portion at the bottom of the dough. Roll tightly, brushing the clean strip of dough with a little water to help seal the edges. Using floss or string, cut rolls about 1 1/2 - 2 inches thick. Starting in the center of a cookie sheet, arrange the rolls so that once risen, the edges will be touching--keeping them thick and fluffy during baking. Allow to rise until almost double (approx 30 min). Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 min. Cover with tin foil if they begin to brown too quickly.
Frosting: 1/3 C butter, 8 oz cream cheese, 1/4 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp vanilla extract (pure Mexican vanilla works best), 1/8 tsp lemon extract, 2 C pwd sugar (or until you reach desired consistency). Whip and frost warm rolls.
