I like big (cinnamon) buns and I cannot lie

Trust me.  You are going to like them too.  

Hope your week has been going well for you- we are finally in the home stretch of the reno.  We primed last night, and as I type, tiling has begun.  Hot dog!  I hope to do a bathroom post next week, I doubt it will be finished (cause that is just the way things go) but a progress post nonetheless.  I also went and grabbed my paint this morning- but I forgot to get ceiling and trim paints, so back to the store I go again.  Oh well, at least I'm getting the paint, not just trying to decide on it still!

Last time I blogged, I shared some birthday ideas with you as my kids' birthdays were coming up.  We had their family "party" last Sunday, and that spy/kittie party is this Saturday (I'll share that one soon, I know you're all just DYING to know about spy parties)

The last two years we have had the family over for breakfast for their birthdays.  We really like doing that- all of us are big breakfast lovers (and breakfast for dinner too!).  Eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, fruit and this year a big old cinnamon bun "cake".  It's not a cake, it's really a giant cinnamon bun.  We had 14 people eating, and 2 didn't get a piece.  (sad faces for my sister in law and my son, but we all know, if you snooze, you loose)  Needless to say, it went over really well.

I had come across this recipe before on Pinterest, from Sally's Baking Addiction.  Click here to go to her recipe- I did tweak it a bit for myself.  Her technique for the yeast never works for me- I always find I have to proof it.  And I added a tablespoon of flour to the cinnamon mixture- I know I read that in some kind of Cinnabon copycat recipe many moons ago.  It just changes it ever so slightly, but I like it.

I hope you enjoy it- I've made it twice in a week.  I need to stop, or I really am going to have big(ger) buns myself!

GIANT Cinnamon Bun

adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction


Dough

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 Tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 package or 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (I use Fleischman's)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup milk  (I used 1%, but it doesn't really matter)
3 Tablespoons butter
1 egg


Filling

3 Tablespoons softened butter
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
1/4 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour


Glaze

1 cup icing sugar
1 Tablespoon milk or cream
1 Tablespoon maple syrup or 1 Teaspoon vanilla



In a measuring cup, heat the water, milk and butter till warm- not hot about 110 degrees F.  Add in 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the yeast.  Let it sit for about 15 minutes.  It will get all foamy.

In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, remaining sugar and salt.  Once it's combined, pour in the yeast/liquid mixture.  Mix it and once it's fairly well combined, add in the egg.

If you're using a mixer, let it go and mix and knead until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and it is nice and smooth.  If it's sticky- add a bit more flour.  The dough shouldn't be sticky, but it shouldn't be dry either.  You can do this by hand too- mix it up with a wooden spoon or stiff spatula, then turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it by hand, about 5 minutes or so until you feel the dough is in a nice firm, not too sticky ball.

Oil up your bowl (I just use vegetable oil) put your dough back in and cover the bowl with a tea towel.  Place it in a warm area and let it rise, at least 30 minutes or until it has doubled in size.

For the filling- mix all the ingredients together.  You want to incorporate as much of the sugar, cinnamon and flour into the butter as you can.  Make it into a paste, it will be easier to spread later.

Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface and roll it out into a large rectangle.  (Or if you're like me, some sort of rectangular-ish shape)

Pour your filling onto the dough and spread it around with a butter knife.  Spread it as evenly as you can, getting close to all edges and corners.

Using a pizza cutter (or if you don't have one, you can use a knife) cut the dough into strips.  Make them about 2 inches wide if you can.

Butter a pie plate or a round cake pan.

Take a strip of dough, use one of the middle strips, and roll it into a spiral. 

Place it in the centre of your pan.

Take each strip and wrap it around the spiral, building the bun out as you go.  Use the middle ones first and the ones with less filling as you get to the end.

Any filling that has fallen out, sprinkle on the top of your bun.

**At this stage you can wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge overnight.  You will need to take it out and let it rise for at least an hour the next day before baking.

Cover the bun with a tea towel again, and let it rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size.  Anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how warm your house is.  

(I like to rise mine in the oven, I preheat it to 200, then shut it off and pop it in- I have a cold, cold house)

Preheat your oven to 350.  Place the pan in the middle to upper half of your oven.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.  Check it at 20 minutes and if the top is getting too brown, cover it with foil for the remaining time.

To make the glaze, mix your icing sugar with the milk or cream and flavouring.  If it's too runny, add more sugar, too stiff, add more cream- but just a little.

Once you take the bun out, let it cool for 5 minutes before you put the glaze on.  Drizzle it all over the bun- make sure you get it even or you'll hear complaints (I did!)

Cut it into slices and serve.

 Or put candles in it and blow them out first!

Please let me know if you try it.  My entire family loved it.  My friend Leslie would have loved it too, had I brought her a piece in to work.  I'm terrible I know, but I can live with it.

Have a fantastic day!

If you're on Insta, check out my reno updates or take a peek into my ideas on Pinterest the boards master and bath will give you an idea of where I'm trying to go.