Cinnamon swirls in every bite!

I have never been a patient person, which explains why, every time I attempted to make cinnamon rolls from scratch, I would inevitably mess them up.

Last night, however, was different.

I had enough homework and MCAT studying to get done that I was able to allow the dough to rise and the caramel sauce to reduce in peace. And, as I found out this morning, waiting to let the glaze soak in overnight only makes them better. I don't know if these rolls were enough to make me a more patient person, but now I at least realize the sweet, sweet result of said virtue.

Here they are, unglazed:

And in all their glazed glory:

Mmmmmm.

The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls 

(A miniature adaptation)

• Since, unlike Ree, I don't have an entire cattle ranch to feed (just six hungry girls in an apartment), I only made 1/4 of the recipe. Pretty sure I shouldn't have gotten this many rolls, but they're way cute-- about the size of the bottom of a drinking glass. I also did my own take on a glaze, since we were running low on milk and didn't have powdered sugar in the apartment.

For the rolls:

• 1/2 pint Whole Milk
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp  Active Dry Yeast
• 2 cups (Plus 1/4 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour (I used whole wheat-- made them a bit chewy)
• 1/4 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
• 1/4 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
• Melted Butter
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• Cinnamon

For the glaze:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Rolls:

Heat the milk, sugar, and oil over medium heat (NOT TO BOILING!). Let cool a bit, then sprinkle yeast on top. Let sit for about 5 minutes. Stir in the majority of the flour, cover, and let sit in a warm place for an hour. Then add the last of the flour, the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Roll out to 1/4". Spread melted butter over dough, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top, and roll towards you to form a log. Slice log every inch or so, and place into greased dish. Bake at 350 for around 30 minutes.

Sauce:

Heat sugar and water over medium heat to make a simple syrup. Let boil until carmelized, stirring as neccesary to keep it from boiling over. After the syrup has reduced to half the original volume (about 30 minutes), add milk and vanilla, and repeat boiling and management for another half an hour. Pour over hot cinnamon rolls, and allow to cool a bit before biting in (unless you want a cinnamony burnt roof of your mouth). Even better if you let them sit overnight.

They didn't last long.

Save a napkin. Lick your fingers.

One thing that I've learned is that, in the college dorm/apartment setting, stress baking instantly turns acquaintances into friends (and earns brownie points with those you already have!)


I have a lot of friends. And I'm pretty sure they just keep me around for the food.


I'm more than okay with that.


The other, more important thing that I learned is that baking >>> physics. Then someone pointed out to me that baking involves physics...


So I just totally studied for that quiz, then, right? 

(And they're made with whole wheat flour, so college students like myself can tell themselves they're eating healthfully... we'll just pretend the butter isn't there.)

Physics <<< Homemade Oreo Wafers

Adapted from Joy the Baker's homemade oreo cookie recipe.

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

14 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Combine dry ingredients. Add softened butter, and mix well. You can be like Joy and cut them out all pretty like, or impatient like me and just squash them into circle-like forms. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Productive Procrastination

And my last midsems week of college is now upon me. Can't say I'll miss it. The only thing I ever enjoyed about this hellish week was the excuse to bake. A lot.

And eat it, too.

This week has been practice for the onslaught of exams. I tell myself that I'm studying chemistry whenever I add baking soda (sodium bicarbonate!), or that I'm reviewing torque when I turn on my handmixer. Practical applications, right? Right?

I'm still trying to justify baking as a means of studying my major, biology... no luck.

I have recently gotten hooked on Joy The Baker's blog-- the girl's definitely on my wavelength. I had been craving graham crackers when I stumbled upon her recipe for s'mores brownies. Her recipe, however, was much too cakelike for me-- I am a fudgy brownie girl through and through. So I played around with the recipe a bit, and came up with something of which I am extremely proud.

Death by S'mores Brownies

1 stick unsalted butter

3 oz unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 graham crackers, crushed roughly

1 cup miniature marshmallows, plus extra for topping

Preheat oven to 350F. Melt butter, chocolate, and cocoa powder together in a double boiler over medium heat until blended. Beat eggs and sugar together until creamy. Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture while beating. Add vanilla, salt, and flour. Mix until well blended. Fold in graham crackers and marshmallows. Spoon into a greased 8"x 8" pan or into a muffin tin lined with cupcake wrappers, and top with more marshmallows. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Bitter Lemon Love Cupcakes

IronCupcake: Earth is back again! This month's challenge was to create a cupcake around the idea of passion. Being a cynic when it comes to the hazards of love, my creation is a bit sweet and a bit bitter:

Bitter Love Cupcakes

These cupcakes are appear simple, like puppy love, but grow in complexity with each bite. The cake is a dense, intensely sweet lemon poundcake, which gets a one-two punch from lemon-lime soda. It's studded with tart dried cherries and sweet dates, and drizzled with bitter dark chocolate to bring the sweetness back down to earth.

If you like what you see, PLEASE VOTE for my creation! Voting will begin no later than Sunday, February 28th at 8 p.m. at NO ONE PUTS CUPCAKE IN A CORNER,http://www.ironcupcakemilwaukee.com and will be open through Thursday, March 4th at 12 noon. Any and all support is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Recipe follows below.

Our Generous IronCupcake:Earth Prize Providers this month are:

• The Demy™ by Key Ingredient
• Hello, Cupcake by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson
• Bella Cupcake Couture
• Cupcake Stackers by Gourmac
• The Cake Mix Doctor Returns! by Anne Byrne
• Beautiful Baking Liners by Vestli House
• Sweet Cuppin' Cakes Bakery & Cupcakey Supply

Bitter Love Lemon Cupcakes

3 sticks unsalted butter

3 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs

2 tbsp lemon extract

3 cups flour

3/4 cup 7-Up or Sprite

1 cup dried tart cherries, roughly chopped

1/2 cup dried dates, chopped fine

1 cup dark chocolate, chopped (~70% cacao)

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease  muffin tins well-- this is important if you want the cupcakes to come out in one piece! Cream the butter and sugar together well. Add each egg one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add lemon extract and mix. Slowly mix in flour, one cup at a time. Stir in the dried cherries and figs, and slowly add the soda. Spoon into muffin tins until 3/4 full. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until lightly browned on edges. Remove and allow to cool. 

Meanwhile, melt chocolate over a double boiler until it runs off in a ribbon off of the back of the spoon. Drizzle over the tops of the cooled cupcakes. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream for the ultimate indulgence.

This month's Challenge was to create a cupcake based around a "Winter Warmer".

My creation is a take on Mexican Hot Chocolate: a deep, dark cinnamon devil's food cupcake, topped with a dark chocolate-cinnamon ganache and a sugared, candied walnu:

If you like the cupcake (or even just the photo), please head over to http://www.ironcupcakemilwaukee.com starting Thursday, January 28th at 8 p.m. through Wednesday, February 3rd at 12 noon. Send your readers to that address to vote.


Our Generous IronCupcake:Earth Prize Providers:

• The Demy™ by Key Ingredient
• Hello, Cupcake by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson
• Bella Cupcake Couture
• Cupcake Stackers by Gourmac
• The Cake Mix Doctor Returns! by Anne Byrne

To get in on the excitement next month, check out http://www.ironcupcakeearth,com

Dark Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Cinnamon-spiked devil's food cupcake (makes 26 cupcakes)

2 1/4 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp instant espresso powder

1 cup boiling hot water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup half and half or heavy cream

1/3 cup extra dark dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 cup 60% cacao baking chips

Blend all dry ingredients together and set aside. Blend egg and sugar until fluffy. Mix chocolate, chocolate powder, boiling water, and vanilla in a bowl until combined. Once cooled, add cream. Add half of the dry ingredients to wet, mix to combine. Finish by mixing in the rest of the flour mixture. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cinnamon-chocolate ganache

2 cups dark chocolate baking chips

1 cup heavy cream or half and half

1 tbsp cinnamon, ground

Melt chocolate and cream in microwave and stir to combine. If not smooth, pop it back in for a few minutes and stir again. Once glossy, add cinnamon and stir to combine. Dip each cupcake in the ganache and set aside to dry.

Spiced and sugared candied walnuts

1 cup walnuts, shelled

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground ginger

3 tbsp sugar

Mix sugar and water in a pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once mixture is bubbling, add walnuts, and cook for one minute. Remove nuts and spread on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and sprinkle over the walnuts. Bake for 15 minutes at 400F, or until dry. Place one on top of each cupcake.

Challah at ya girl!

As our contribution to the Local Foods Thanksgiving meal on campus, Chalutzim made over 40 loaves of challah using locally grown whole wheat flour using our special recipe. The challah went over well at the meal, and attendees were asking for the recipe.

Even after that marathon of baking (from 1pm through midnight), I came out still stressed and wanting to bake more. So what did I do?

Make more challah, of course!!!

Here is the fabulous, sought-after Chalutzim "Better than Yo' Mama's" Challah recipe that we enjoy every week:

1 1/2 tbsp active dry yeat

1 3/4 cup warm water

1 tbsp sugar

3/4 cup honey

1 tsp salt

1 cup oil

4 eggs plus 1 egg for egg glaze

6-8 cups flour

Mix 1 tbsp sugar with the yeast, and stir in warm water. Allow yeast to proof for 20 minutes. Then add honey, oil, and eggs and mix well. Stir in salt, and then slowly add flour cup by cup. Once dough is thick and not too stick (read: so tough to stir that your muscles hurt), cover with damp cloth and place in a warm area to rise for at least 2 hours. When dough has doubled in size, tip onto lightly floured surface and cut dough in half. Take one half, cut into three or four chunks, roll into ropes, and braid. Tuck ends under and place on a greased cookie sheet or a Silpat. Blend one egg with 1 tbsp water, and brush mixture lightly over the loaf using a pastry brush. Repeat with second half of dough, putting onto another cookie sheet. Bake at 400F until golden brown. Bread is done when tapping on it yields a hollow sound.

Makes 2 loaves.

IronCupcake Earth: Apple!

As a college student, I constantly find myself wishing I were back in Kindergarten-- taking naps, playing with Play-doh, and having snacktime. With that in mind, I've created a cupcake that combines the best of those days of apple juice, graham crackers, and no homework.

Kindergarten Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup applesauce, lightly sweetened

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 cup grated apple (preferably Johnathon or Braeburn)

For the topping:

6 graham crackers, crushed roughly

3 tbsp butter, unsalted

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all cupcake ingredients, folding in the shredded apple last. Spoon into buttered and floured muffin tin. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and brown sugar. Sprinkly over the top of the cupcakes and bake for 15-20 minutes. Once cooled, drizzle with honey.

If you like the cupcake (or even just the photo), please vote for it! Voting will begin no later than Friday, November 27th at 8 p.m. at NO ONE PUTS CUPCAKE IN A CORNER, http://www.ironcupcakemilwaukee.com and will be open through Thursday, December 3 at 12 noon


Our Generous IronCupcake:Earth Prize Providers:

• The Demy™ by Key Ingredient
• Hello, Cupcake by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson
• Bella Cupcake Couture
• Cupcake Stackers by Gourmac
• The Cake Mix Doctor Returns! by Anne Byrne

To get in on the excitement next month, check out http://www.ironcupcakeearth.com