Maple, Pumpkin-Pomegranate, Sticky Orange

This week on Sweet Rolls that Rock - I would like to share some awesome links and recipes from bloggers online. Please try these or rock out to your own awesome combination.

-cKp (cUteKittypUnk)

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This last weekend I finally tried the famous cinnamon rolls from The Pioneer Woman. Ree Drummond says that this is the recipe her Mom made growing up for good friends at Christmastime. And this is the tradition she carries on - it's this recipe that has won her friends and influenced people. And I'm sure that Dale Carnegie couldn't agree more! Or he could agree more... what is the proper English term for he totally would agree? Probably - at least, I totally agree!




These are Ree Drummond's cinnamon rolls - her's sure look purdy!
photo credit: The Pioneer Woman

  Ree's recipe makes a good 48 large rolls from my experience. But beware, I used an onlineconversion calculator to figure out some of the amounts - and that is where I went wrong. How is this possible? Well, apparently, the weight to volume or volume to weight in dry areas is different from humid areas. I live in a humid area. So, when 9 cups flour read less than 1 kilo in the online conversion calculator - it is really more accurate to just measure out 9 cups. Because it was more like 1.5 kilos or so. Anyway, that is probably also where I went wrong with the powdered sugar as well. Difficult thing to figure because 1 bag of powdered sugar is not possible in the Netherlands. I've only ever seen powdered sugar sold in cylander containers that measure by weight 250 grams. I used two of them - but I think I could have easily used three and come up with a more dense frosting, like pictured above. Mine turned out more like a glaze, when poured onto the hot rolls - it disappeared - but the flavor was divine - or sinful? Whatever, it was good!

The thing that makes this better than your average cinnamon roll - is that she is very, very generous in her use of sugar, butter and cinnamon. The maple-coffee glaze/frosting is an extra bonus of pure yumminess. I highly recommend this recipe. Ree - you rock - and your rolls rock, too!

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I follow Oh She Glows in my google reader. I like this blogger Angela Liddon because she makes the most delicious looking foods - and they are all vegetarian, too. Last night while browsing through my google reader I found that she has posted the most delicious variation on pumpkin cinnamon rolls. She has a nice tutorial and great photos, too. And she's gotten very creative with her rolls, too. She has suggested having a "'Build your own' Cinnamon Roll Party!" What a fantastic idea! She set out pre-baked pumpkin pie filled rolls that you could top with a variety of frostings: Pumpkin glaze, Cream Cheese, Chocolate Ganache or Bourbon Espresso; and for the toppings: Pomegranate, Granola, Chocolate or Icing Sugar.  Let's take a look at what she put together:

Photo credit: Oh She Glows

I'm loving the look of "The Hippie" but "The Romantic" is very pretty, too. Angela, your Pumpkin Pie Cinnamon Rolls are definitely above average. A+ for you and your creativity. You Rock!

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Earlier this year, I stumbled upon a very talented young baker. You may have heard of her: Elissa of 17 and Baking. She writes so poetically. She is young but she seems so grown up in her observations of people and places. It's really nice to read her stories. Sometimes, I can identify with her. She's now 18 and off to University from one side of the country to another. I can identify with that. I was once 18 and left home to venture out and find myself and build some dreams. She also has very nice photography - always very nice photos of yummy things she baked. Here is a nice roll she baked and blogged about earlier this summer.

Photo credit: 17 and baking

Orange-Cinnamon Honey Sticky Buns. Elissa describes it like this "The glaze is so sinful but so good. All those bad-for-you ingredients come together in a thick, sticky sauce – nutty and buttery and deep. It’s poured into the pan and the buns are snuggled right on top. Then you pop the pan into the oven the next morning and wake up to a honey and citrus spiced kitchen. You couldn’t ask for more."

I will nod my head and agree with you. Thanks for sharing these rolls with us Elissa. You Rock! And sticky orange buns definitely Rock!