Dinner Rolls and Cinnamon Rolls

Lately (as in this week) I have been into making new recipes, especially from http://www.ourbestbites.com and http://www.melskitchencafe.com.  The roll recipe is from ourbest bites and I got the butter cream glaze recipe from melskitchen cafe.  The rolls were originally made in a machine but I just did it by hand so that is how I wrote my directions.  For 3 of the cups of flour I used whole wheat flour so these are about 40% whole wheat!  These rolls are very light and fluffy.  So good!

INGREDIENTS

Dough:

2c. whole milk

1/2 c. + 1 Tbsp sugar, divided

1/3c. (5 1/3 Tbsp butter)

2 tsp kosher salt

2 pkgs active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp)

2/3 c. warm water (105-155 degree)

8-9 c. all-purpose flour

3 beaten eggs

Cinnamon Rolls:

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

melted butter

Glaze:

1/4 c. softened butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

dash of salt

dash of cream of tarter

3/4 lb powdered sugar

Milk or cream

DIRECTIONS

Combine milk, 1/2 c. sugar, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan and heat over medium intil butter melts

Remove from heal and allow to cool to lukewarm.  Meanwhile, in a seperate bowl dissolve yest and 1 Tbsp sugar in warm water.  Let stand 10 minutes, until bubbled (if it doesn't bubble you killed the yeast with too hot of water of your water wasn't hot enough- you will need to redo this part)

In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 c. flour (use wheat flour here if making half wheat) and milk mixture.  Beat until mixed.  Add yeast mixture and beat for 3 minutes.  Add beaten eggs.  Stir in remaining flour as needed to make soft dough (it will still be a little sticky).  Put bowl in a warm place and cover with a clean towel.  Let rise for 1 hour.  Punch down dough.  Lightly flour work surface and turn out half of the dough onto the surface.  

Spray a 9x13 and a 9x9 glass pan.  Roll dough into a rectangle and cut into 21 equal-sized pieces (a pizza cutters works really nice to cut the pieces).  Roll each piece into a ball and place in pan.   Cover with a clean cloth and put in a warm area allow rolls to rise for 30-60 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees 15 minutes before the rolls are done rising.  Bake for 12-15 minutes (depends on your oven) until golden-brown.  When done, remove from the oven and brush tops with butter.  

With the other half of the dough empty onto floured surface and roll into a rectangle.  Brush dough with melted butter leaving a 1/2 inch border unbuttered.  In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon and then sprinkle over the buttered area of dough.  Starting at the long edge, roll up the dough.  With a dark colored string cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. (technique: Make impressions on top of dough with string to mark where you will cut each roll.  Scoot string under the dough to your first mark.  Pick up the end of string on the right with your left and and the end of string on the left with your right hand so that the sting is crossed.  Pull each end of string so that it cuts the dough.)  Evenly place rolls on greased jelly roll pan.  Bake at 375 degree for 10-14 minutes or until tops are lightly brown and dough does not sink when you lightly press on the middle of the roll (many people cook their cinnamon rolls too long- don't be one of those people).  

While cinnamon rolls are cooking make the glaze.  Mix butter, vanilla, salt, cream of tarter, and sugar together, adding cream a little at a time to reach desired consistency.  Ice rolls once you pull them out of the oven.

–Melanie