Sunday, July 29, 2012

Jiffy Cinnamon Rolls

I found this quick, easy recipe for cinnamon rolls in Company's Coming "Muffins And More". I made some with raisins, and some without. The ones without look more neatly formed, but they are both good.These cinnamon rolls are made from a very simple dough that is soft and fluffy and very easy to work with. It is spread with an easy filling, rolled up, cut, and then placed into muffin tins to bake. This gives the cinnamon rolls a nice shape and even baking. Even though I thought I had used plenty of grease in the pan, I still found my cinnamon rolls stuck a bit. The recipe states to place a teaspoon of filling into the bottom of each muffin cup, but after trying this, I would not recommend it. I found that most of this filling just stuck to the bottom of the pan, and did not end up on the cinnamon rolls at all, which both gypped the cinnamon rolls and wasted filling. I would recommend either spreading all of the filling onto the rolled out dough, or using a teaspoon of filling on TOP of each cinnamon roll. Dumping the cinnamon rolls did not work either, they stuck too much, and too much of the filling began to come off. Also, if they are dumped, they end up upside down, because the top does look better than the bottom facing into the cup. I used a spoon to carefully scoop the rolls out. If you do this while the rolls are too warm, the dough will tear apart, so at least cool them slightly if not completely. If you grease the pan very well, not only will the rolls stick less, they will also have a richer, more buttery topping. After you get past the problems of the rolls sticking, they are quite tasty, with or without raisins. There are not quite as good as the cinnamon roll recipe I usually use, but they are quicker, and more of a muffin-like cinnamon roll that is good for breakfast rather than me sweet dessert cinnamon rolls.

Jiffy Cinnamon Rolls
1/3 cup butter or hard margarine, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
2 Tablespoons granulated (white) sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold butter or hard margarine, cut-up
1 cup cold milk
1/3 currants or raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin.

In a small bowl, combine the first amount of butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Place one measured teaspoon of filling into the bottom of each muffin cup. Set remaining mixture aside.
In a separate large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Make a well in the center and stir in the milk. Knead the dough, adding a little additional flour as necessary, for 6 to 8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to a twelve inch long rectangle, approximately one centimetre thick. 
Spread dough with remaining cinnamon mixture, leaving a small border all around. Sprinkle with currants or raisins, if desired. Roll up dough from a long end, jelly roll style. Pinch seams to seal. Cut into twelve slices. Place each slice, cut side down, into a muffin cup. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Turn out onto a tray. Ice with a simple vanilla glaze or a cream cheese icing, if desired. 

Paré, Jean. "Jiffy Cinnamon Rolls." Recipe. Muffins & More, Edmonton Alberta: Company's Coming Publishing Limited, 1983. 87.

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