During my last visit to Mass, Mom Cox taught me how to make cinnamon rolls. My first and only attempt to make them from scratch prior to these lessons had resulted in something more akin to Chinese fighting stars than a sweet breakfast treat. Twice while I was there she showed me how to make them, each time listing off about a dozen different variations she sometimes uses. How could I help getting a little confused?
Well, a few weeks ago, I decided to try my hand at her recipe. It was a Sunday evening, I had plenty of time. I tossed the ingredients in the bread machine and worked on cleaning up while the machine kneaded the dough. Desiring the lightest, fluffiest rolls possible, I elected not to add any extra flour like the recipe suggests. Mistake number 1.
Once the dough had time to rise, I turned it out onto the counter and began rolling the dough out, all the while chatting with Matt about who knows what. I mixed up the filling and spread it on the dough. Next, I went to roll up the dough and discovered I had rolled it out so flat, it was practically transparent in some places. Guess I was too engrossed in conversation to notice. Mistake number 2.
Chris came to the rescue with some interesting ideas on how to cut the dough into individual rolls. I think the pizza cutter did the least damage to the shape of the extremely delicate dough.
More like cinnamon globs than rolls. :(
The recipe says to line the pan with parchment paper. Well, when you discover you have no parchment paper on a Sunday evening, you use the next best thing: wax paper! Mistake number 3. The rolls had been baking only two minutes when I noticed a burning smell and opened the oven to check on the rolls, only to release a cloud of smoke into the air, caused by melting wax on a very hot oven. Just open some windows and let in some fresh air...
They don't look too bad...
Once smothered in icing, the rolls don't look half bad. You can't see how misshapen they are underneath that layer of sugar.
Growing fed up with the slow and messy process of slicing off individual rolls,
Chris decided to make half the dough into one giant cinnamon roll.
To my utter surprise and great satisfaction, the cinnamon rolls turned out to taste delicious. So either I'm really good at saving a lost cause or Mom's recipe is idiot-proof. I'm betting on the latter!
