CINNAMON ROLLS...tops my current fave list!

I've always complained about American goodies having a lot of Cinnamon sprinkled on them. Whatever I pick to eat, it has cinnamon. Whatever I order to drink, they sprinkle cinnamon over it. I used to tell Jobin it was one of the most misused spice here and there was a phase that I just couldn't bear it anymore.I used to frown at anything with Cinnamon in it, except for when it is used in Indian cooking,which is subtle.

2 weeks ago, we had gone to a lovely cold place called Duluth and on the way we stopped by Tobies ,a restaurant cum bakery in Hinckley,MN. We were told by a person in church that they are the best place to stop for brekky and that they also sell Cinnamon Rolls and Caramel Rolls if we needed a quick grab. I frowned again. Too much Cinnamon, I say! Anyhow, we reached there and I was bowled over by their food! It was so old-fashioned.The waitresses were all 80+ and they were so kind and the entire restaurant was filled with the aroma of freshly baked breads, rolls, cookies, cakes and deep fried doughnuts! I was immediately transported to the Enid Blyton's Famous Five Era...all those homemade stuff she mentioned in her books had me drooling all these years, even today!

On the way back, we stopped at Tobies once again for a late lunch. I couldn't hold on to it anymore, I had to taste some of their baked stuff.When I went to the counter, I could see a long line of waiting customers who came to buy their Cinnamom Rolls and I thought,' Now what's with this Cinnamon Rolls everywhere?Maybe these people like the strong Cinnamon flavour because they must have grown with it!'.

Anyhow, the foodie in me persuaded me to go join that line to buy their famous Cinnamon Rolls. I was so hesitant to take a bite thinking I might end up having a headache...but boy! I was proved SO wrong! They were so so good that me and Jobin were literally fighting over that one roll. It got over even before we got onto the highway!

From that day on, it haunted me...Cinnamon was sprinkled over my dreams too! I had to make it somehow and the other day, I finally did.I'm so glad that  I have a recipe now to look upto when I crave for these yummy rolls.

SINFUL CINNAMON ROLLS
Recipe source: All Recipes

Ingredients:
1/2 c milk
1/2 c water
2 tbsp butter
3/4 tsp salt
3 c all purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1/4 c sugar
1 egg


3 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 c sugar 

• 
  
• For the frosting:
• 1 c powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp melted butter
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tbsp milk
• 
  

Method:
In a saucepan , heat milk,water and butter till very warm.
Mix together the dry ingredients and break the egg into it. Pour the milk mixture and stir to form a sticky dough. You can just break up the egg while you mix everything together. Let it rest till the dough doubles in bulk (about an hour or so).
Punch down the dough and roll it out into a rectangle (keeping it parallel to the counter edge) on a floured surface. It will be a long rectangle and that's how we want.
Mix together the cinnamon and sugar.
Pour the melted butter over the rolled out dough and spread it out using your fingers. Slather it!
Sprinkle over the cinnamon sugar,evenly.
Roll the dough in a jelly/jam roll fashion from the longer side towards you.Pinch the ends together. Cut them into circles and lay them flat on an 8"square baking tray.Let it rise for 45 mins or almost doubled.
Pre-heat the oven to 375 F and bake the rolls until golden, 20-25 mins.
Meanwhile make the frosting by mixing all the ingredients together.
Once the rolls are baked and are out of the oven, let it cool for 10 mins. Pour the frosting over it.
Enjoy!

Verdict: My fingers,toes and eyes were crossed when I was making it because I really wanted to replicate that same thing in my house.I didn't eat the first one, I made Jobin eat it and hear what he had to say. I was standing by his side and pestering him to tell me if it tastes like Tobies and he said ' Athinte ezhu aiylokkathu koodi poyitilla'! (it has not even gone anywhere close to it).
Then he smiled and said,'It's good!'. I was a happy girl! When I had mine, I wanted that fresh out of the oven feeling, so I microwaved it for 15 seconds and boy! It was really really good!!

Try it if you have tasted one before and liked it.Try it if you have never tasted one before but always wanted to.Just simply try it, you will like it for sure!

I must mention that your house will smell like a bakery when you bake these soft,delicious cinnamon rolls!
These rolls are Yeastspotted!