Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

I've been baking a lot lately - again... and baking sweet rolls again. I don't want to just blog about every roll I bake because lets face it - even though they all get eaten, not all of them are so blog worthy as these. Oh yummy. I used a combination of recipes to create this delicious roll. And even though you can throw your nuts into the filling... it's so aesthetically pleasing to see them strewn about over top. Do you agree?

The dough on these is very dense - it's not as airy as other rolls - but that doesn't stop them from being oh so yummy - I tend to repeat myself a bit in the description of these rolls... that's just how I roll ;)

Lately I bake sweet rolls in the amount of 8 total. Most recipes online make 12 - 24 and that is just too much unless you are making  'em for a potluck. Usually I just bake them for dessert just for us so I don't want all the extra rolls. Not that I wouldn't enjoy eating them but my gut can only handle so much sweetness.

Like I said, I use a combination of recipes to make these. One such recipe that I like a lot - is from The Pioneer Woman. She has some of the tastiest frosting ever. I think it's from the combination of coffee and maple extract. I used a bit of both of those here. I was very generous in the amount of sugar used in the filling as well.

These are best served warm. I shared them with my sister-in-law Linda for her birthday... and my taste buds were very happy to share them.

For the dough, combine 1/2 cup warm milk, 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast, 1/4 cup melted butter and 2 cups BASIC ROLL MIX. Mix until it makes a nice together dough - not sticky at all. It will be dense. Butter or oil bowl and put inside, covered to double in size in warm place - about 60-90 minutes. Punch down dough. Wait 10 minutes. Roll out on lightly floured surface in the shape of a rectangle about 1-2 centimeters thick. Spread 1-2 tablespoons melted butter over top. Spread generous amount of sugar over top - about 1/2 cup fine white sugar and then about 1 tablespoon dusting of ground cinnamon over that. Roll up and press seams together. Cut into 8 equal slices and place cut side up into pie dish lined with baking parchment paper. Let rise a second time in warm place 30-60 minutes. Bake at 175-C (350-F) degrees for 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and frost while still warm with glaze. Recipe follows: in bowl combine 1 heaping tablespoon melted butter, 1 teaspoon coffee granules dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water, 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/16 teaspoon (1-2 drops) Mapleine extract, and about 1/2 cup powdered sugar till smooth. Add 1-2 teaspoons milk to thin if needed. Spread over rolls and strew 1/4 cup chopped pecans over all.

Related Posts:
Honey-nut Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
The Best Cinnamon Rolls with Shiny Sweet Glaze
Maple Cinnamon Honey Butter

Polynesian-inspired Pineapple and Bacon Sweet Rolls

Paul Arden writes: Do not covet your ideas. Give away everything you know, and more will come back to you.... They're not your ideas anyway, they're someone else's. They are out there floating by on the ether. You just have to put yourself in a frame of mind to pick them up.

This is what I was thinking about recently when I decided to put bacon - the sweet meat in my sweet rolls. Am I the first to use bacon in a sweet treat? Absolutely not. It seems this idea was out there floating through the air and many foodies picked it up about the same time. I think I had the idea to use bacon in my sweet rolls back in August. I didn't do anything with it until September - I'm just now reporting on it. Since then, I've seen bacon in cupcakes, cookies, ice cream and even fudge (via tastespotting.com among other sites). One of the more interesting cupcake ideas I saw bacon in - was to make pancake cupcakes - top it with maple buttercream icing and sprinkle it with bacon bits. A very dessertish type breakfast. I like that idea. I don't remember who's blog I saw it on because I follow so many - but I think it was the Brown Eyed Baker. I should give credit where it is due, right? But was she the first? I don't know - and since we all influence each other and alter each others recipes - I thought I would let my bacon treat leave it's mark here in blogdom.

I've paired the bacon with pineapple and with a maple glaze. These are some what adult tasting... that's how my husband often describes my food fusion - new and bizarre twists on sweet rolls... but they are so yummy - especially the pineapple topping... it's so good in fact, that I must make a pina colada sweet roll next time.

This is my first trial making the Polynesian-inspired Sweet Roll. Certainly, the next few times I shall try ham instead - and putting the bacon in the filling instead of in the dough. I took these yummy rolls to church with me one Sunday morning and all my tasters said: Bacon! What bacon - I don't taste it. Once I told them, yes there is bacon in them... a few replied - oh I taste it.

So, for trial 2 we will put the bacon in the filling - I think this will bring out the flavor more without it being too dominating or not noticable at all. I may even try honey, ham and apple next time - that sounds good.
Oh yeah, and we will bake them at a lower temperature for more time - so about 175-C for 20 to 22 minutes - that's the time and temp I bake most my other rolls at - and I should have followed my instinct with these as well - some of them burned a bit on the bottom - and I know everyone's oven is different - so bakers - beware!

Polynesian–inspired Sweet Roll (Trial 1)

Adapted from: Allrecipes.com (Bernice Morris – Pineapple Sweet Rolls)

Servings: 24

DOUGH:
1 - 2 bacon slice(s) (about 60 grams), fried, drained, and crumbled into pieces
1 1/8 teaspoon (.25 ounce or 7 grams) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
5 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 cup warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F)
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon salt

FILLING:
¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
½ cup brown sugar

TOPPING:
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 (8 ounce or 226 grams) can crushed pineapple, undrained
¼ teaspoon pineapple extract (optional – for extra flavor)

GLAZE:
1 3/4 cups (about 250 grams) confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon each maple and vanilla extract
3 tablespoon milk

Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 1 tablespoon sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add milk and 1-1/2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Add the crumbled bacon pieces, eggs, 1/4 cup butter, salt, remaining sugar and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide in half. Roll each into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Spread melted butter over top and then sprinkle brown sugar evenly over. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Pinch seam to seal. Cut each into 12 slices. Place, cut side down, 2 in. apart on prepared baking sheets.
Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine cornstarch and pineapple until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Make indentation with back of spoon or with your thumb in the center of each roll and then place a teaspoonful of topping in the center of each roll. Bake at (220-C) 425 degrees F for 12-16 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks.

3. For glaze, combine sugar, extracts and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over warm rolls.