A Stroll Around Our Garden…

Hurt not the Earth, neither the Sea, nor the Trees.
-Revelations 7:3

Hello, sweet friend…

March will often test a gardener’s patience…

A few warmer, brighter days certainly tempted me out into my garden…

However I know that it will take several weeks of warm bright days for the soil to be dried out sufficiently…

So on this overcast day I thought I’d take you on a little pre-spring garden tour…

sharing a peek of hope as things get ready to bloom…

Before you begin the tour perhaps you should whip up a batch of these decadent rolls first…

CINNAMON ROLLS

CINNAMON ROLL DOUGH

4 1/2 – 5 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup  granulated sugar

2 packets Rapid rise yeast about 4 1/2 tsp)

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups  water

6 tbsp unsalted butter

1 large egg

FILLING

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 tbsp cinnamon

CREAM CHEESE ICING

4 oz cream cheese, room temp

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp

1 cup  powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

CINNAMON ROLL DOUGH

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

In a heat-safe bowl, combine the water and butter (cut into tablespoons). Heat in the microwave for 30 sec – 45 sec, until warm to the touch but not hot. The butter will not melt completely. 

Pour into the dry ingredients with the egg and mix with a wooden spoon. 

Add in 2 more cups of flour and mix. It should turn pretty thick and sticky at this point.

Add in 1/2 cup of flour and mix again. It should now turn shaggy and become difficult to stir. Once it reaches that point, set the spoon to the side and use your hands to mix and knead the dough.

It will be sticky, so add another 1/4 cup of flour and continue to mix and knead by hand. It should turn into a smooth mass that’s soft and tacky.

With a clean finger, press it into the dough. If your finger is sticking, add another 1/4 cup of flour and knead. If it’s not, then shape it into a ball and let it rest uncovered for 10 minutes. 

When the 10 minutes is up, the dough should have puffed up quite a bit but not quite doubled in size.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rough rectangle shape. Roll it into a 10×15 inch rectangle using a rolling pin. 

Spread the room temperature butter into a thin and even layer, leaving about 1/2 inch border all around the outside of the dough. 

Sprinkle with the brown sugar and spread it even with your hand. Then top it with the cinnamon.

Working from the 15 inch end of the dough, roll it up into a log. Place your hands at each end of the log and give it a gentle squeeze in to compact the log of dough. It may have stretched out a bit during the rolling process so this brings it back together. 

For best results, use unflavored dental floss to cut the rolls. If you don’t have floss, you could also use really thin sewing thread. If using a sharp knife, gently saw back and forth and try not to press straight down into the rolls. This will squish them into an odd shape. 

Using the floss, slide it under the roll and toss both ends of the floss over top. Pull them through to create a cut. Cut off the two ends of the log and then cut the remainder into 12 pieces.

Cut the entire log in half, then cut those two halves in half to create 4 segments. Cut each of those 4 segments into 3 rolls to get a total of 12.

Place the rolls in a buttered or greased 9×13 dish (you could also use two 9″ round pans, placing 6 rolls in each). It’s OK if all of the rolls are touching. 

Place in a warm spot and cover with a towel to rise for 1 hour. If you live in a colder climate, preheat the oven to the lowest temperature. Once it’s ready, turn the oven off and place the rolls inside. This creates a warm environment for the rolls to proof. 

Preheat the oven to 350F (first remove the rolls if you proofed them inside) and check on the rolls. They should have doubled in size and now take up the entire dish. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are a light golden brown. While they cool, make the icing. 

CREAM CHEESE ICING

Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl and use a fork to mash the two together. Make sure they’re both softened to room temperature, otherwise the icing will be lumpy.

Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mash again with the fork. Once the mixture starts to loosen, switch to a whisk and mix until smooth. 

Spread onto the warm rolls…

and now let’s head on out for my pre-spring garden walk!