Mini Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients

For the dough

1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 egg (room temperature) beaten
5/8 cup warm 2 %  or whole milk

3.5 Tbsp butter(room temperature)

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp sugar

For the filling

2 Tbsp butter(room temperature)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/4  teaspoons cinnamon

For the glaze

1/8 cup Cream Cheese (room temperature)
1 Tbsp butter(room temperature)
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
3-4 drops vanilla essence
1-2 Tbsp of Warm milk(add more or less depending on the required consistency)

Serving size: Yields 14-15 mini cinnamon buns.

Recipe

Prepare the dough

In a bowl, add yeast,warm milk and sugar.Keep aside for a minute or so.
After sometime the milk should look very frothy.
To the same bowl add 2 cups flour,egg,salt,butter.
Mix well with a wooden spoon.
Add more flour by a tsp measure, if the dough feels very sticky.
Once the dough comes together, Knead it for at least 10 minutes with hand.The dough should be smooth and should  spring back when poked with a finger.It should not stick to hands.
Cover with a damp towel and leave aside for an hour in a warm spot for the dough to rise.
In the mean time mix cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl.Keep aside.
After an hour, knead the dough for 30 seconds and flatten it out with a rolling pin or hand in the shape of rectangle.(approx 16 X 10 in measurement).

Add the filling and prepare the baking dish

Spread butter all over the surface of the dough.
Sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar mixture.
Beginning at the longer side, roll the dough tightly.
With a knife using short movements, cut the dough into equal slices.(approximately 1 inch)
Place slices with the cut side up in a large baking dish.There should be some space between the slices.Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for an hour.

Bake

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Apply butter/milk on top of the rolls. Bake till golden brown.
Remove and cool for five minutes.

Prepare the glaze

Beat cream cheese, butter, confectioner's sugar and vanilla essence till smooth.
Add milk slowly (1 Tbsp at a time) checking the consistency. Add more for thinner consistency and less for thicker.

Pour glaze over cinnamon buns.Serve warm.

Fresh homemade White Bread

Ingredients

3 cups King Arthur Bread flour
2-1/4 tsp Active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Honey
1 cup warm water
1 Tbsp light olive oil
1/2 cup warm milk

serving:makes 1 loaf

Recipe

In large bowl, add the yeast and warm water,honey and mix.

Leave alone for 2-3 minutes.the mixture should become frothy.

Add salt,milk, oil and mix well.

Add the bread flour slowly and keep mixing with a wooden spoon.

Finally after mixing in 3 cups of flour, the dough should be a little sticky and it will become difficult to mix with a spoon.

Time to use hands. Add 1 tsp flour over the dough and Knead the dough for 5 minutes. 

While Kneading if the dough feels sticky, add 1 tsp flour.

I usually knead it in the mixing bowl. You can put it on the counter and knead if you are not comfortable.

After 5 minutes the dough should be soft to touch.

Drizzle some oil on top,cover and leave it in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour.

After 1 hour,knead the dough for a minute and take the dough out from mixing bowl.

Spray the loaf pan with oil.

Put the dough in the pan  cover and again leave it in the warm spot to rise for 20-25 minutes.

Preheat oven at 375 degrees F.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Take the pan out of oven, and transfer the bread loaf to a cooling rack immediately. Be careful while handling the hot pan.

Once completely cooled cut slices of bread.

To store, wrap it in a cling wrap and aluminum foil.

Put it in a microwave(switched off) and use as needed.