cinnamon-bun bites

Katie and I have this ongoing thing about cinnamon rolls. It's very Gilmore Girl/Abbott and Costello-ish. And the typical conversation happens when we visit our local Barnes and Noble which is somehow conveniently but not helpfully located by Cinnabon. Damn those mall planners!

'God, that smells good.'

'But they never taste as good as they smell.'

'Why is that?'

'I don't know why. And you also feel sick, sticky, and dirty after you eat one. Why is that? Oh because it should be named Cinnabomb. It's like a sugar bomb went off in your stomach. Kablooey.'

'I don't know why you feel sick, sticky, and dirty but I see what you did there with the Cinna-BOMB reference. Why can't we find a cinnamon roll that tastes as good as it smells?'

'I don't know. But I now really, really, really want a cinnamon roll. It smells so gooooooood.'

'Here have a piece of cinnamon gum.'

'But I reaaaaaaaly want a cinnamon roll'

'It'll be ok. Let's go look at books.'

We have had this same conversation too many times to count.



Anyways, I guess the point is that for both of us, the outside of the roll is too crunchy, there is not enough of the center part... but the center can't be under-cooked and gooey either, the dough isn't flecked with enough cinnamon, and there is normally too much frosting. Hello call us Goldilocks. It's never just right.



These cinnamon-bun bites are right up there in the almost damn near perfect category. The whole entire plate consists of the soft center part, the dough and glaze are flecked throughout with cinnamon and nutmeg. Best of all, I can control how much glaze to drizzle on the top. Also, they don't go kablooey in your stomach.



cinnamon-bun bites: martha stewart living, april 2012
(printable recipe)

1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast (from two 1/4-ounce envelopes)
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus 1/2 stick, melted, and more for dish
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
ground nutmeg

vanilla glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
cinnamon
ground nutmeg

make cinnamon-bun bites:

Pour water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle yeast evenly over water, and let stand until foamy, 5 to 7 minutes. Whisk until smooth then whisk in 1/2 cup flour to form a paste. Let rise in a warm place until yeast mixture has risen and fallen, about 30 minutes.

TIP: If your house is chilly like mine, turn on your oven for a couple of minuets on the lowest temperature, then turn off oven and place the bowl in the oven as sort of a proofing boxing for the dough.

Add eggs, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, and the remaining flour to yeast mixture. Knead dough, using dough hook attachment on mixer, until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add 1 stick butter to the dough mixture and knead with the stand mixer until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes (add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky). Turn out dough onto an unfloured work surface and knead by hand until very smooth, about 3 minutes. Transfer dough to another bowl, and let rise in a warm place, covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch down dough, pressing out air bubbles.

Lightly butter a 9-inch pie plate or 9-inch square glass baking dish. Place melted butter in a bowl. Stir together remaining 1 cup sugar and the cinnamon in another bowl.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls (you should have about 45). Working with 1 at a time, dip balls into melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar and place in pie plate. Stack balls to form a dome. Sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon sugar, and drizzle with any leftover butter. Cover with plastic wrap, and let balls rise by half, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap balls and place the pie plate on a baking sheet. Bake until golden and firm, and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let bites cool in dish 15 minutes, then drizzle with glaze.

make vanilla glaze:

Stir together sugar and salt in a small bowl.

Whisk together butter, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir into sugar until mixture forms a smooth paste. Keep glaze at room temperature until ready to drizzle over cinnamon-bun bites. Before using, whisk until smooth.

holiday treats

Are you looking for baking ideas for the holidays? Because with all the chaos going on around here, I finally just realized that, 'Oh crap! It's 20 days until Christmas. Nine more school days before the kids go on Winter Break and I haven't even thought about baking ANYTHING.'

So to get in the baking mood, I have made a handy roundup of treats and assorted baked goods that I have made over the years on ECM. And I mean I have made over and over.... so I consider them tried and true. Treats that I haven't seen anyone ever turn their noses up at and if someone baked these and showed up on my doorstep, I would welcome them with open arms and a cocktail or hot chocolate.

In no particular order:



Homemade Vanilla Extract. Yes, I am aware it's not a treat per se but if you know someone who bakes all the time, they will love this. It makes a wonderful and memorable hostess gift. Vanilla extract never goes bad and once you give them a foundation they can keep adding to it, customizing the flavor to their own individual taste. It's probably one of the most impressive gifts I  give. People routinely tell me they didn't even know you could make vanilla extract. You get to look like a genius. Also, make a bottle for yourself.



cranberry streusel shortbread bars

My favorite.

Gift Idea: Take three and tie with festive ribbon and place in a cellophane bag.



anzac cookies

Great cookies that last if you want to ship overseas!



chocolate chubbies

Chocolate Nirvana!

Gift Idea: A warning sticker. Seriously, if you have a chocolate lover wrap them up and place a warning sticker on these bad boys.  



triple ginger cookies

Super gingery happiness.



chocolate thumbprint cookies

You got chocolate in my cookie. No, you got peanut butter in my cookie.



buttery shortbread

Great for decorating but also great plain. My go-to cookie.



caramel, coconut, chocolate chip, and bacon magic bars

You read that right. Make them for the bacon lover, they will love you forever. Also you might want to make sure they have a prescription for Lipitor before eating.

Gift Idea: If you can find a empty box of Lipitor wrap them up in that or if you can find a cute piggy platter or bowl that would work too.



chewy oatmeal cookies

Changed the way I look and make oatmeal cookies.



cream cheese pound cake

Perfection and simplicity in every slice. This, wrapped up in a fancy dish towel with a wooden spoon and recipe cards would be a nice teacher gift.



apple upside down cake with caramel sauce

Mmmmm.



doughnut muffins

I crave these on a weekly basis. It is a cake doughnut in a muffin.

Gift Idea: Wrap these little muffins up in a lined basket with 2 mugs and a bag of coffee or tin of hot chocolate would be lovely. Especially if given on Christmas Eve.



tiramisu

The next door neighbors wouldn't be mad if you brought this to them. Especially when you have to tell them you are going to need to jackhammer a 3 foot x 3 foot section of their driveway to fix your sewer line.



dark chocolate swirl pound cake

Nor would they be mad if you brought this over to them either. Also, you can swap out the dark chocolate and replace with Nutella.



chocolate tart with pretzel crust

Sweet and salty lovers will rejoice.



lemon curd

Gift Idea: Fill Mason Jars with lemon curd wrapped with pretty ribbon. Place in a pretty basket with scones, tea, a tea pot and/or a pretty tea cup found at second hand store or discount store (Homegoods).



brownies with caramel sauce

Good Lord. Hallelujah.

Gift Idea: Make a platter of these with a bowl of caramel sauce in the center and a note to have a sweet 2012!



banana crunch bread

Best banana bread I have ever made.

Gift Idea: Wrap this up with a note to your kids teacher. "I know my kids have driven you BANANAS in the classrom at least once this year. Happy Holidays!'



coffee toffee pecan pie



banana streusel muffins

Gift Idea: Place these in a pink bakery box tied in yarn with a message that breakfast is on you!

fennel gratin

Admittedly, this is not a Thanksgiving dish. I know Thanksgiving is only two days away but I just had to share this dish. NOW. If someone made this for me on Thanksgiving I would happily sit in a corner with a whole platter of fennel gratin, forgo everything else at the dinner table and be perfectly happy.

I know this isn't for everyone so I won't tell you to make it now or I will cause you bodily harm because fennel is one of those ingredients that is up there with cilantro and mushrooms. There are lovers and loathers and they declare which side they stand on, very loud and clear.  Think about it. People exclaim 'I LOVE' or 'I HATE'.... but no one is that says 'Meh, I can take it or leave it.'

If you love fennel this dish is just ... sigh... beautiful. I was going to say it's almost like roasted/poached in olive oil but then I realized that would make it confit. So yes, it's almost like fennel confit. [Go Krysta! Way to use my words!!!!] Salty, sweet, a little spicy, crunchy, soft, and even a little bitter all in one bite. Make sure to save the oil that the fennel was cooked in because it is wonderful dipping oil for bread.

fennel gratin: rustic italian food by marc verti
printable recipe

makes 4 to 6 servings

2 fennel bulbs, about 2 pounds, fronds trimmed and reserved
about 2 1/2 cups of olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Trim the base of the fennel and remove all dark and light green parts down to the white bulb. Slice each bulb in half, lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise into four wedges and remove cores. Lay wedges on rimmed baking sheet and add olive oil to a depth of 1/4 inch. Sprinkle each wedge with a pinch of salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes and a teaspoon of Parmesan cheese.

Bake until fork tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in the oil until just warm. Using a slotted spatula, transfer to serving platter and garnish with the reserved fennel fronds.