Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:

• •580 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• •107 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
• •6 g (¾ tsp) fine salt
• •84 g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter, softened
• •235 g (1 cup) whole milk, lukewarm (~38°C)
• •7 g (2.25 tsp) instant yeast
• •2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk

Filling:

• •225 g (1 cup) light brown sugar
• •17 g (2.5 tbsp) ground cinnamon
• •84 g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter, softened

Glaze:

• •115 g mascarpone
• •90 g (¾ cup) powdered sugar
• •45 ml (3 tbsp) whole milk, plus more if needed
• •½ vanilla bean scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla extract, or 2 drops vanilla liqueur)

Dough:

1. Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Work in the softened butter with your fingers or two forks until evenly incorporated. Warm the milk to about 38°C and whisk in the instant yeast. NOTE: instant yeast sticks to everything — keep baking paper under your work area.

2. Add the yeast-milk mixture, eggs, and egg yolk to the flour and mix until the dough comes together and is smooth. You can use only your hands to spread and fold it — no stand mixer needed. Do not take the dough out of the container before chilling. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 90 minutes.

3. Punch down the risen dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle about 69 cm (27") long and 6 mm (¼") thick, with the long edge facing you.

Filling:

1. Melt the butter nicely and spread the softened filling butter across the entire surface of the dough. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the butter — do not add too much sugar or cinnamon. Lightly pat it in so it adheres.

2. Make small marks with a knife first so your cuts will be equal. Working from the bottom edge, tightly roll the dough into a log — make sure the tails meet. Cut into 12 rolls using a serrated knife. TIP: you can also cut with a piece of string/thread (nitka) for clean cuts without squashing the rolls.

3. Grease a 9x13" (23x30 cm) baking dish — use the right size so the rolls sit tight and snug. Arrange the rolls in 4 rows of 3, turning each so the tails face the roll next to it. Cover and let rise until about 1.5x their size, 30–45 minutes. Bake at 190°C for 15–20 minutes until golden. Let cool in the dish for 15 minutes.

Glaze:

1. Whip mascarpone until smooth. Mix in powdered sugar, then whisk in milk and vanilla until a thick but pourable glaze forms — add more milk a teaspoon at a time if needed. Pour the glaze on top right away while the rolls are still warm so it melts in.

Photos from the process.