Temptation

Temptation comes in many forms but I would like to address one particular issue today. Have you ever been to IKEA? Have you wound your way through the maze of furniture, rugs, housewares, and clever items designed to separate us from our money to find that, exhausted mentally and physically, there is a magnificent aroma coming from the checkout area? That sweet, spicy, vanilla-scented smell which whispers "cinnamon rolls" to your tired body. You stand in line, deciding again if you really need that combination soap dispenser/towel rack/ironing board, and rationalize. "I just spent 3 hours walking around this 350,000 square foot homage to organized living. I must have burned about 1000 calories. If I just get one cinnamon roll, it won't be a bad thing...." Anyway, I suspect that we have all given in at one time or another. My always active baker mind, however, rationalizes as follows, "if I eat just one more, I will be able to finally figure out the secret to these cinnamon rolls which makes them taste soooooo good".
After far too many cinnamon rolls (thankfully IKEA is 60 miles from my house so the price of gas has also largely prevented me from indulging), I think I finally found a recipe that comes pretty darn close. This is an adaptation of a recipe from the Food Network website and is fairly simple for a yeasted dough recipe. Please don't be afraid of baking with yeast- just because it is alive does not mean that it will refuse to cooperate in your effort. Just be nice to it, and it will be nice back. Yeast is our friend, especially in these cinnamon rolls.

Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup nonfat evaporated milk
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1/4 ounce package)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (13 ounces)
1/4 cup sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon fine salt (1/8 ounce)
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg or to taste

Filling:
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon or to taste
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, very soft, plus more for coating the pan
1/3-1/2 cup cinnamon chips

Glaze:
2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with Baker's Joy.
Combine the water and milk in a large bowl and microwave until it is about 110 degrees F. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface over the liquid. Sprinkle a pinch of the sugar over the top and stir gently. Let rest until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Whisk the butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture.
Whisk the flour, the sugar, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add to the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon or whisk to make a thick and slightly sticky dough. Add more flour as needed and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes (I knead the dough right in the bowl). Shape into a ball.
Brush the inside of a large bowl with butter. Put dough in the buttered bowl, turning to coat lightly with butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Turn dough out of the bowl and knead briefly to release excess air; reform into a ball and return to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap and lay it on the dough. Cover the entire bowl tightly with plastic and proof in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.

To fill and form the rolls: Mix the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until you have a thick paste. Turn prepared dough onto a work surface and press, then roll into 10-by-18-inch rectangle, with a long edge facing you. I use a large cutting board for rolling on/measuring. Spread the cinnamon paste evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving about an inch border on the side opposite you. Evenly scatter the cinnamon chips over the dough. Starting from the long side facing you, roll the dough up into a tight cylinder. Press the open long edge to the dough to seal the cylinder.
Cut the log with a sharp knife to make approximately one inch wide rolls. Place the rolls cut-side-down in the prepared pan, leaving a little space between them. Cover the rolls loosely with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place to rise until rolls double in size, about 45 minutes.
Position the rack in the center of the oven bake buns until golden brown and the tops of the buns spring back when pressed lightly, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

To make the glaze: Mix all of the glaze ingredients together until smooth. Drizzle the icing over warm buns. Serve.

Notes:
These may be refrigerated or frozen after forming. If refrigerated overnight, allow buns to come to room temperature for about 1/2 hour, then proof fully (until doubled in size) before baking, about 2 hours. If frozen, allow buns to come to room temperature, about 1 hour, and then proof fully (until doubled in size) before baking, about 2 hours.

Storage:
Though the buns are best eaten on the day they are baked, they will keep, covered, for a day. They freeze well.