Cinnabon's and Snow

Lot's of snow and no where to go is the reason for this recipe. It's also the reason I have to spend an extra 45 minutes on my elliptical today. 

Enjoy... and if it's snowing where you are, BAKE! (this recipe makes 12 large "cinnabons")

1 cup warm milk (between 110-115 degrees)

1 package dry yeast

2 eggs, room temperature (you can do this quickly by plunging eggs into hot water for a minute or two)

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

Sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk in a large bowl until In about 5 minutes, the yeast will have dissolved and will be foamy. Add eggs, butter, salt and sugar. Whisk together. 

Stir in:

4 to 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour (1 cup at a time) to form a nice dough. Turn out on floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. Form into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. 

Once dough has risen, punch down and let rest for 10 minutes. While dough is resting: mix 1 cup brown sugar and 2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Soften 1/3 cup unsalted butter. 

Roll dough out to a 16 X 21 inch rectangle. Smear dough with butter and sprinkle sugar/cinnamon mixture evenly over buttered dough. 

Starting at end nearest you, roll up, jelly roll style. Slice into 12 even "buns" (you can do this easily with dental floss, thread or a serrated knife.

Place buns in a lightly buttered 9 X 13 inch baking pan.* * see note, below

Cover with a towel and let rise 30-45 minutes until puffed. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. 

While buns are baking, make the frosting. 

1/4 cup softened butter

3 ounces cream cheese

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

Beat until smooth. Frost the buns while still warm. 

**you can do all of the above the night before, cover and refrigerate. In the morning, set pan in warm place and let buns rise for 30-45 minutes before baking. 

Now excuse me, I need to work off this snow day treat! 

Inspiration and Biscuits A La Cuiller (Ladyfingers)

To my surprise and delight when I checked my email this morning I found a lovely compliment and an award from another blogger, The Confused Homemaker. 

The award is an "Inspiration Award" and Confused said that "I inspired her to do more in the kitchen".. awww..

How nice is that? 

This immediately put a smile on my face, a spring in my step and piled heaps of guilt on my soul. 

Smile. Get that. 

Spring in Step. Check.

Heaps of Guilt?? Why Good Cook, why the guilt?

Well, since confession is good for the soul (and the digestive tract) here is my true, never before told story of Biscuits A La Cuiller (also know as Ladyfingers - which I find truly apropo since so many of my dear readers are of the female persuasion and I'm assuming ladies. ahem)

But I digress. 

As some of you may remember, I offer "personal chef" services, where I come into your lovely home and cook, right there in your very own kitchen, for you and your guests. I love these gigs and spend hours on the menu, table settings, prepping, and just all around obsessing with the details. 

My next gig is for a lovely woman whom I have cooked for before. As a matter of principal and sound business practice, I always under promise and over deliver. Over deliver means I cook up or bake up something special that is not on the menu. This item is for my client and guests to enjoy the next day - or as a late night snack before the end of the party. Sometimes it's as simple as a floral centerpiece or fresh vegetables in a basket or fresh herbs in a bouquet from my garden. 

So anyway, dessert for this particular dinner party is sabayon with fresh peaches and mint garnish. I've given you all this recipe so don't feel cheated. My "extra" was going to be ladyfingers on the side.. a little something crunchy to go with the silk and sweet of the sabayon. 

In a fit of insanity and pure stupidity (I forgot in a moment of self UNawareness, who I AM).. I bought these:

Imported all the way from Italy. Low fat and low cholesterol no less. (or more)

Sweet mother of all that is holy, what was I thinking?? Store bought ladyfingers? Store bought anything??? Say it isn't so Good Cook! I can only surmise by this act of treachery that my mind is finally going - snapped if you will. Insanity has finally got a hold of my senses. 

Thank You Confused Homemaker for reminding me of my true identity. Thank you for restoring my mind to its methodical cooking self. In the name of all that is good and home made, thank you. 

Without further ado, and just before this confessional post, I whipped up these, from Mastering The Art of French Cooking (of course) I give you: Biscuits A La Cuiller

Ladyfingers: (makes about 24)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Butter and flour 2 baking sheets (I used parchment, but also buttered and floured the parchment). 

Assemble a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch opening. 

1/2 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

3 egg whites

pinch of salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour, measured then put in sifter.

powdered sugar for dusting

Gradually beat the sugar into the egg yolks, add the vanilla and beat until the mixture is thick, pale yellow and forms a ribbon when beaters are lifted (about 2-3 minutes on high speed).

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over and continue to beat until shiny and stiff peaks form. 

Scoop 1/4 of the egg whites over the yolk mixture and sift on 1/4 of the flour. Delicately fold in until partially blended. Then add 1/3 of the whites and 1/3 of the flour, fold until almost blended. Repeat with 1/2 the whites and flour and end with the rest. Be VERY careful, fold gently until just combined. You don't want to deflate the batter. 

Scoop into your pastry bag and pipe out batter 4 inches long by 1.5 inches wide. 

Dust with powdered sugar placed in a sifter or sieve. About 1/16 inch thick. 

Bake in middle and upper 1/3 of the oven for 20 minutes. The ladyfingers will be just slightly golden (very pale brown) underneath the powdered sugar. 

Remove immediately and cool on wire racks. 

These keep beautifully in an airtight tin for up to 10 days (but who really keeps cookies around for 10 days??)

Ah... I feel so much better getting that off my chest. I think I'll have myself a cup of tea and a few Biscuits A La Cuiller. 

NEXT: Who inspires me?? Tune in tomorrow.