In this episode of Epicurious' 4 Levels series, Chef Tracy Wilk puts her pro spin on cinnamon rolls alongside amateur and advanced bakers. The lead chef and recipe developer for ICE's recreational program has a few tricks for flakier dough and a sweeter filling.
Chef Tracy steps her roll recipe up with croissant dough, a sweet filling incorporating maple and bourbon, and mascarpone: the Italian cream cheese that is sweeter and creamier than traditional American versions. She uses pro techniques from encasing the butter inside the dough to book turn folding and rolling each "bun" individually.
Watch the demo in the Epicurious video and get the complete recipe below.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 3/4 cups high-gluten flour
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 ounces (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon SAF yeast
- 2/3 cup water, cold
- 2/3 cup milk, cold
For lamination:
- 3 sticks butter, cold
Directions
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together both flours, salt and sugar. Add the first amount of butter that is room temperature into the mixture, and mix for about 10-15 minutes, until the butter no longer appears.
- In a separate bowl, dissolve the yeast in the cold water and milk. Mix together and add to the flour mixture. Mix the dough together for no longer than 30 seconds — it should just come together. Be careful not to over mix.
- Without flouring the table or your hands, transfer the dough and knead about 10 times, until the dough becomes smooth. Form the dough into a square and wrap in plastic wrap.
- Allow dough to rest for about 60-90 minutes in the fridge.
- Roll the dough into a 12-inch square. Turn it into a diamond.
- Roll the diamond corners into flaps — ensuring the middle becomes a square. The flaps should not be too thin, and the space between each flap and the square should be at least two fingers space. Mark the square lightly using a bench scraper. Brush all excess flour off.
- Cut the cold butter into four equal squares. Place between two sheets of lightly floured parchment paper, and using a rolling pin, pound it until it is thin and malleable. Place butter into the center raised square of dough.
- Pull flaps up, opposite to opposite. Starting from the bottom, pull to the top, encasing the butter. Then pull from the top to the bottom, again encasing. Pull from left to right and right to left. The finished product should look like a folded envelope square.
- First turn: To begin your turns, roll with the seam. Using your rolling pin, washboard the dough, and then begin to roll out to 18-24 inches long.
- Brush all flour off, turn the dough horizontal. Fold the dough halfway in, from left to right, and then, from right to left, making a book turn. Press the dough in, using a rolling pin, to make a seam, with the dough connected. Brush off all excess flour and fold the dough halfway in the same direction.
- Tightly wrap in plastic. Allow the dough to rest for another 60 minutes.
- Second turn: Repeat steps 9 and 10. Tightly wrap in plastic and chill overnight.
- Spray aluminum tins with non-stick spray.
- Cut dough in half, only rolling one portion at a time. Roll dough into a long rectangle, until the length of the dough is about 15 inches. Dough should be about 1/8-inch thick.
- Cut strips of dough into 1-inch by 15-inch pieces. Gently spread prepared cinnamon bun filling (recipe follows) onto the strips, and then roll into a tight wrap. Place each cinnamon bun into the prepared muffin tins.
- Allow to proof until warm and doubles in size. Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Bake until golden brown, about 15-17 minutes. Allow to cool. Once cool, toss in cinnamon sugar and finish with mascarpone glaze. Serve.
Cinnamon Roll Filling
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature
- 4 cups light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 4 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
Directions
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, cream together butter and light brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix until fully combined. Set aside for filling cinnamon buns, best to use when room temperature.
Mascarpone Glaze
Ingredients
- 8 ounces mascarpone, room temperature
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Directions
- In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together all ingredients until smooth. You may need to add more sugar or milk to adjust the consistency. Keep covered until ready to use, whisking before drizzling on top of the cinnamon buns.
Take a hands-on croissant class at ICE's New York campus.
