“The Best Cinnamon Rolls I’ve Ever Had”

“The Best Cinnamon Rolls I’ve Ever Had” – My Sixty-Six-Year-Old Mother

This recipe is based on the Extra Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls recipe at Bon Appetite. I made a few tweaks to the recipe. I made major adjustments to content of milk fat and variation in seasonings. I have made Cinnamon rolls at least five times before, and I was told this recipe has solid, hearty bones to be considered the best. I really enjoyed the tips from the writer and recipe creator, Isa Zapata, who utilized the Chinese method of precooking starch and liquid for added hydration and moisture. This method, Tangzhong, is what particularly stood out to me as a self-proclaimed food scientist. Tangzhong lends itself to the dough as a conditioner and remains the secret to a super-soft dough. Well, I keep no secrets and I do find this recipe to be extra ordinary in its steps and overall execution.

THE DOUGH

-              2¼ cups 2% milk, divided

-              5¾ cups (719 g) all-purpose flour, divided

-              1 large egg

-              1 ¼-oz. envelope instant, rapid yeast (about 2¼ tsp.)

-              ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar

-              1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt

-              ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces

THE FILLING

-              ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

-              1 cup (packed; 200 g) dark brown sugar

-              2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

-              1 tsp. of vanilla bean paste

-              2 Tbsp. half and half

-              ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt

FROSTING

-              4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans

-              8 tablespoons of cream cheese, room temperature

-              1 cups powdered sugar (or to taste)

-              1 Tbsp. (or more) half and half or 2% milk

-              ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt

This recipe instructions are verbatim from Bon Appetite and lovingly written and perfected by Zaynah Issa

RECIPE PREPARATION

DOUGH

Whisk ¾ cup 2%  milk and ¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour in a medium saucepan until smooth. Place saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and whisk lines are visible on bottom of pan, about 2 minutes. Scrape tangzhong into the bowl of a stand mixer and let cool.

Add 1 large egg, one ¼-oz. envelope instant yeast (about 2¼ tsp.), ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and remaining 1½ cups 2% milk to tangzhong and whisk to combine. Add remaining 5½ cups (688 g) all-purpose flour. Fit bowl onto stand mixer; fit mixer with dough hook attachment. Mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-low and mix, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally, until dough is smooth and elastic, 18–24 minutes. Pinch off a golf-ball-size piece of dough and stretch between your fingers as thin as possible without breaking. If you can see light through the dough, it’s ready. If not, continue mixing a few more minutes, then try again.

Add ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces, to dough and mix on medium speed until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Continue mixing until dough pulls away cleanly from sides of bowl and is no longer tacky to the touch, 5–7 minutes longer. Remove bowl from mixer and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Let sit in a warm spot until doubled in volume, 60–90 minutes.

FILLING, ASSEMBLY, AND FROSTING

While the dough is rising, cook ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until butter foams and milk solids turn dark amber, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and let cool slightly. Add 1 cup (packed; 200 g) dark brown sugar, 2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon, 2 Tbsp. half and half, 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt to butter and mix to combine.

Butter two 9"-diameter cake pans. Punch down dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Stretch dough into a rough rectangle; if dough feels stiff, let sit 5–10 minutes to allow gluten to relax. Arrange dough with short side facing you and roll out to a 24x13" rectangle. Spread filling over dough in an even layer.

Starting at edge closest to you, tightly roll up dough into a log; roll log seam side down. Using a sharp serrated knife and long sawing motions, trim ends of log; discard. Using serrated knife or, preferably, unflavored dental floss, cut log in half crosswise, then cut each half into 6 equal rounds. (If using dental floss, slide floss underneath dough, then cross over top and pull ends through.) Nestle 6 rounds, cut side down, in each prepared cake pan. Cover with damp kitchen towels and let sit in a warm spot until doubled in volume, about 30–50 minutes.

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Bake rolls until golden on top and puffed (don’t be alarmed if they rise dramatically in the center), 25–30 minutes.

Meanwhile, using an electric mixer on medium speed or a whisk, beat 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, and 8 tablespoons of cream cheese, room temperature, in a large bowl, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until combined. Add 1 of powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp. half and half, 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste and ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt and beat until mixture is smooth and sugar is incorporated. Taste and beat in more powdered sugar (up to ¾ cup) if desired. Thin with more cream as needed, a teaspoonful at a time, until frosting is thick but spreadable.

Let cinnamon rolls cool in pan 5 minutes; spread frosting over.

Recipe based on Zaynab Issa’s Extra Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls

This article originally appeared on Bon Appetit

Peachy keen: peach galette

Hey y’all! I wanted to share this peach galette recipe I made last weekend. It was delicious! It had a flakey and buttery crust, juicy peaches, a sprinkle of sweetness. a true rustic southern delight.

In a world filled with recipe creators who take you on a journey longer than a saga in a cookbook, I'm here to serve you the good stuff without the fluff. Who has the time to read a novel? While others wax poetic about the origin story of each ingredients, I'll cut to the chase. I’m not going to make you scroll until you get carpal tunnel or explain how I made this peach galette for my fiancé in Bora Bora in 2003.

So, no need for a novel before a recipe—just the essentials, served straight up. That’s Grupa Cooks.

So, grab your apron and let's dive into the deliciousness without the extra words. Because life's too short for a culinary dissertation before dinner, and my ADHD is way too under medicated to read through the Bora Bora story.

The recipe is based off Natasha’s Kitchen (https://natashaskitchen.com/peach-galette-recipe/)

Ingredients:

Peaches - white or yellow peaches both work, but yellow peaches add a touch of charm to the galette. No peeling required.

Sugar - adjust based on sweetness

All-purpose flour - Adds thickness to the peach juices.

Cinnamon - classic pairing with peaches, but cardamom offers a unique twist.

Pure vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste - Opt for the real deal, not imitation.

Unsalted butter - Stick with unsalted for baking.

Lemon paste - adds a unique flavor, hard to find but worth it

Pastry Dough - A blend of flour, sugar, salt, cold butter, and ice water creates a flaky, buttery crust.

Her recipe states:

Form the crust – Preheat your oven to 425°F and set the dough onto a floured sheet of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Slide the parchment paper and dough onto a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate.

1. Make the peach filling – Stir together flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Slice the peaches and place them in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the peaches with the flour mixture, then stir in the vanilla.

2. Add the peaches to the crust – Arrange the peaches in a circular pattern over the dough, starting from the outside and working towards the center. Leave a 2-inch border. Dot the tops of the peaches with butter.

3. Finish – Fold the border up over the peaches, pinching together the overlapping edges and patching any cracks or holes in the dough. Brush the crust with the egg wash, then sprinkle the coarse sugar over the top.

4. Bake – Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the peach juices are syrupy. Let the peach galette rest for 15 minutes, then serve.

What I added that was different:

• lemon paste, adds acidity without extra liquid

• almond paste, I added the almond paste to the bottom of the galette before I placed peaches to prevent a soggy bottom

• started with 425 degrees but switched to 350 towards the end.