I made rolls, of the cinnamon variety.

I use cinnamon rolls as a sort of… well, anxiety calming drug.  I don’t pop pills, I definitely pop cinnamon rolls.

See… there was this thing invented a good long while ago called the 10 Year Class Reunion.  It’s where you get together with all the people that made fun of you during your painfully awkward teenage years.  Yea.  Why?  Why do I have to do this?  Can’t we all just become friends on Facebook and Twitter and consider ourselves properly reunited!?

Seriously.  The future is now!

Since I think I’m going to gracefully bow out of the reunion festivities, here’s the CliffsNotes of what I might have said to my old classmates.

Hi.  Yea, it’s me Joy.  I sat behind you in.. a bunch of classes probably.  Here’s the update.  I went to college.  I read a lot of books.  I graduated.  I traveled around some.  I haven’t gotten married or pregnant yet.  Yea.. I’m prettier now, but that’s mostly because I was actually really ugly when you knew me.  I’m a baker.  I think it’s the most awesome thing ever.  I know a crap ton about food.  Would you like to discuss French cheeses at all?  I have a blog… also awesome.  Sure, I’d like to meet your boyfriend Steve.  I recognize him from your Facebook photos.  Your relationship status is “complicated” though… care to discuss?  No?   Hm… well, sure I’d like to see pictures of your kids.  Would you like to see pictures of my cinnamon rolls?  It’s only fair.

Don’t make me go to this thing.  It will be awkward.  Awkward.  Awkward. Awkward!

I need counsel and another cinnamon roll.

These cinnamon rolls are nothing short of amazing.  The cream cheese is folded (literally) into the dough, creating an extra moist, truly irresistible roll.  They take time… sure.  Yes.  But when it comes to things like your 10 Year Class Reunion… you just take the time to make the rolls.  It’s necessary.

Here’s the recipe.

Below the recipe are my step by step photos, in case you get knee deep into the recipe and panic.

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls

Saveur October 2008

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For the Dough:

1 – 1/4oz package active dry yeast 

1/2 teaspoon, plus 1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk at room temperature

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more for kneading

3/4 teaspoon salt

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan

For the Filling:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/4 cup raisins

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the Icing:

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup buttermilk

Making the Dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 cup water heated to 115 degrees F.  Stir to combine and let sit until frothy and foamy, about 10 minutes.

Add remaining sugar, milk, light brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk.  Beat with a wire whisk until well combined.  Fit the bowl onto the mixer, fitting with the dough hook attachment.  Add the flour and salt and mix on medium speed until the dough just begins to come together.  Turn the machine on medium-high and knead the dough for 4 minutes.

Add the butter and continue to knead for about 6 minutes.  The dough will the wet and sticky.  Place the dough on a well floured work surface, and knead about 1/3 cup all-purpose flour into the dough.  Don’t worry, the dough still might be a little sticky.  It’s ok.  Just set the dough to rest in a large greased bowl.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

While the dough rises, make the filling.  Combine the sugar, dark brown sugar, pecans, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, salt and cloves in a large bowl.  Stir to combine.  Stir in the maple syrup.  Set aside.

When the dough has doubled in size, dump if from the bowl onto a heavily floured work surface.  Gently knead the dough until it is no longer sticky, adding more flour as needed.  I think I added about 3 Tablespoons of flour.  Work the dough for about 1 or 2 minutes.  Once it’s no longer sticky, place a kitchen towel over the dough and let rest for 5 minutes before you roll it out.

Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10 x 10-inch square.

In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese with a knife until it’s smooth and spreadable.

Spread the cream cheese evenly over the dough square.  Fold the square into thirds like you would fold a letter to fit into an envelope.  Take the open ends of the rectangle and fold into thirds again, to make a smaller dough square.

Invert the dough so that the seam is face down and, using the rolling pin, gently roll it into a 10 x 20-inch rectangle.  You make find that some cream cheese sneaks through.  Be as gently as possible with the dough, but continue to work it until you reach the size you need.

Turn the dough so that the short sides are parallel to you.  You’re going to roll from the short sides of the dough.

Brush the top of the dough with half of the melted butter.  We’ll use the rest of the butter after the rolls are baked.

Pour all of the filling onto the dough.  Spread evenly, leaving a 1-inch boarder at one of the short edges of the dough so the roll can be properly sealed.  Lightly press the filling into the dough.

Using your hands, lift up the bottom edge of the dough and roll it forward into a tight cylinder.  Place dough cylinder seam side down on a cutting board.  Using a sharp, thin knife, trim off the uneven edges.

Cut cylinder into 8 equal slices.  Nestle the slices, cut side up and evenly spaced in a butter 9 x 13-inch (light colored) metal baking dish.  Cover pan with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to let rise for 2 hours.  You may also refrigerate rolls overnight.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Uncover the rolls.  If you refrigerated the rolls, let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.  Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Make the icing:  While the rolls are baking, whisk together the sugar and buttermilk in a small bowl until smooth.

Transfer the pan of cinnamon rolls to a cooling rack.  Brush with remaining butter.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  Dip the tines of a fork into the icing and drizzle over the rolls.  Serve immediately.

Some of the stuff you’ll need.

This is what the dough looks like as it’s coming together after the flour is added.

After kneading in the mixer for 10 minutes, I took the dough out, added 1/3 cup more flour and kneaded.

Gettin’ ready for the first rise.

Now make the filling!

Big, happy dough after 2 hours!

Knead the dough on a heavily floured surface, adding more flour so the dough is no longer sticky.

Roll that darling in a 10 x 10-inch circle and cream cheese it!

Fold it up.

And again.

Keep folding.

Done!

Now roll again.  This time to 10 x 20-inches.

Time for the good stuff.

And roll.

Trim the edges and slice into 8 slices.

Into the pan.

And baked!

That’s good stuff.  Great job.

Think this recipe is a little too daunting!?  I understand… you might like this one though!

Forgive me.  I realize I’m a complete maniac about pancakes.  Not only did I post about pancakes just a few days back, but those pancakes were nearly two weeks in the making.

How about a pancake heavy on the cake?  These carrot cake pancakes are like living in the best of both worlds.  You’ve got all your warm pancake goodness embellished with carrot cake spices, loads of carrots and.  AND!  cinnamon cream cheese spread.  In some ways, and let’s try to keep this a secret,  these carrot cake pancakes are just an excuse to spread sweet cinnamon cream cheese spread all over my breakfast.

Joy, of Joy the Baker is learning all about Italian wines and cheeses.  I got home from a morning wine tasting and decided that I needed something that would sit in my tummy and stick to my ribs.  See,  at this particular morning wine tasting I discovered why there are spit buckets.  If you don’t spit out the glorious wines you’re tasting, you might find yourself tipsy, trying to pronounce Italian wine names to your Italian boss before 10 in the morning.  Not so hot.

Not a winner,  but these pancakes are.

If I’ve turned you into a pancake junkie then you know that there are all kinds of pancake types.  There are the thinner battered pancakes, there are the tall and fluffy pancakes, not to mention puff pancakes.

These carrot cake pancakes fall under the tall and fluffy category.  The spice in the pancakes is great!  I might add a few tablespoons of crushed pineapple for an added kick.  The carrots are grated, but when cooked, the carrots remain rather raw and crunchy.  They have a bite to them that at first, I wasn’t sure I liked. It’s just that the pancakes spend so little time in the pan, there’s no ways the carrots can soften.  Enjoy the crunch, think of all the vitamin A and fiber you’re getting!

Carrot Cake Pancakes

adapted from the food network

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• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• Dash nutmeg
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup packed brown or granulated sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups finely grated carrots
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 dash ground cinnamon

In a bowl, combine flour, pecans, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl, combine egg, brown sugar, milk, carrots, and vanilla; mix well.

Stir carrot mixture into dry ingredients until moistened. Pour batter by 1/4 cupful onto a greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on the top of pancake; flip and cook until golden brown.

For topping, blend cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Sprinkle with cinnamon, and serve with pancakes.

I come from a family of proud home bakers.  I developed my love for baking helping my father put together delicious desserts in our tiny, pea green family kitchen.  This recipe for pound cake came from my father’s sister.  My Aunt DeeDee loved two things in this life: Jesus and baking.  Even after being blinded by a brain tumor in her mid thirties, she would still insist on baking every family members’ birthday cakes.  Even without her sight, she still had the touch for the perfect cake.  This pound cake recipe came from her very old Kraft cookbook.  I’ve doctored it up with a bit of lemon and blueberry, but at its heart, it’s still my favorite of Aunt DeeDee’s masterpieces.

This cake is a champ.  It will always pull through in the clutch.  Why?  Because it has a secret ingredient: cream cheese.  Incidentally, I think cream cheese should be nominated as a super food along side spinach and avocados. This secret ingredient adds fat and flavor, and insures that, unless left in the over for the entirety of your Scrubs marathon, it will not come out dry and over baked.

And not so fast!  I have another secret to share with you.  In order to get an entrenched, even lemon flavor, I add lemon to this cake in two ways:  zest and juice.  But to get the most our of your zest, add the zest to your granulated sugar and with the back or your spatula, or with a plastic bench knife, grind the zest into the sugar.  The sugar will act as a sand paper, and will draw out all of those delicious lemon oils.  Then, when you cream the now fragrant sugar with the butter and cream cheese, you’ll diffuse lemon flavor all through the cake.  Brilliant!

Lemon Pound Cake

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adapted from Kraft Cookbook

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 eggs, room temperature

2 cups all purpose flour, sifted

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 325.  Sift together flour and baking powder, set aside.  Cream butter and cream cheese in an electric mixer.  In the mean time, work the lemon zest into the granulated sugar.  This process should take about five minutes, and the sugar will become very fragrant.  Add the sugar to the butter mixture and continue creaming.  Add the lemon and vanilla extract.  Add eggs one at a time, beating for about one minute each.  Scrape down the bowl after each addition.  Slowly add the sifted flour and baking powder.  Don’t over mix in the electric mixer.  Bring the ingredients together with a wooden spoon.  Pour into a greased and floured pan and bake for 60- 75 minutes, or until tooth pick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Easy Blueberry Sauce

1 bag frozen wild blueberries (try Trader Joe’s)

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water

Make the blueberry sauce just before you intend to serve the pound cake.  It can be made in a flash.  Throw a bag of frozen blueberries, (I prefer the frozen wild blueberries found a Trader Joe’s) into a sauce pan with  granulated sugar.  Let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes.  The blueberries will have released some liquid, and the sugar will be dissolved.  While still at a simmer, mix in the cornstarch mixture.  Still constantly until you see mixture thicken a bit, and remove from flame.  Dress the moist pound cake with warm blueberries.  Breakfast perfection.