Cinnamon Buns

By bjmj_1622

Ingredients

• Dough:
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1/4 ounce package)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for bowl
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (13 ounces)
• 1/4 cup sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt (1/8 ounce)
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• Filling:
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft, plus more for coating pan
• Glaze:
• 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
• 3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

Step 1

Combine water & milk in medium saucepan and warm over low heat until about 100 degrees F (but no more than 110 degrees). Remove from heat & sprinkle yeast over the surface over the liquid. Sprinkle pinch of sugar over top & set aside without stirring, until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Whisk butter, egg yolk & vanilla into yeast mixture.

Whisk flour, sugar, salt & nutmeg in large bowl. Make a well in center of flour & stir in yeast mixture with wooden spoon to make a thick & slightly sticky dough. Turn dough onto a floured work surface & knead until soft & elastic, about 6 minutes.

Shape into a ball.

Brush inside of large bowl with butter. Put dough in buttered bowl, turning to coat lightly with butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap & note the time. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Turn dough out of bowl & knead briefly to release excess air; reform into a ball & return to bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap & lay it on dough. Cover entire bowl tightly with plastic & proof in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.

To fill & form rolls: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Whisk sugar & cinnamon together in small bowl. Turn prepared dough onto floured work surface & press, then roll into 10-by-18-inch rectangle, with long edge facing you. Spread softened butter evenly over surface of dough, leaving about an inch border on the side opposite you. Evenly scatter cinnamon-sugar over butter. Starting from the long side facing you, roll dough up into a tight cylinder. Lightly brush clean edge of dough with water. Press open long edge to the dough to seal cylinder.

Slip a long taut piece of string or dental floss under roll, about 1 1/2 inches from end. Lift and cross the string ends over the roll, then pull the ends tightly in opposite directions to cut a single roll. Repeat, cutting every 1 1/2 inches, to make 12 rolls. Place rolls cut-side-down in prepared pan, leaving 1 inch space between them. Cover rolls loosely with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place to rise until rolls double in size, about 1 hour 10 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven & preheat to 350 degrees F.

Bake buns until golden brown & tops of buns spring back when pressed lightly, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

To make glaze: Sift confectioners' sugar into medium bowl. Whisk in condensed milk, butter & lemon juice to make smooth, slightly loose icing. Add vanilla & cinnamon. Drizzle icing over warm buns.

*Note: These may be refrigerated/frozen after forming. If refrigerated overnight, allow buns to come to room temperature for about 1/2 hour, then proof fully (until doubled in size) before baking, about 2 hours. If frozen, allow buns to come to room temperature, about 1 hour, & then proof fully (until doubled in size) before baking, about 2 hours.
Storage: Though buns are best eaten on the day baked, they will keep covered, for a day or freeze well.