Sweet Cinnamon Rolls

As a child I knew these as sticky buns, today I know them as sinful, diet food they are not but hey you know me..... more is never enough!

DOUGH

1/4 cup warm water

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast

1 cup warm milk

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3-3/4 to 4 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons soft butter

FILLING

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

2 teaspoons cinnamon

4 tablespoons soft butter

GLAZE

125g cream cheese

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons milk

Pour the water into a small bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and let it dissolve (about 5 minutes). In a large bowl, stir together the warm milk and sugar. Then stir in the dissolved yeast, egg, and vanilla extract.

With a wooden spoon, stir 2 cups of the flour into the liquid, and then beat well for 100 strokes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave the dough undisturbed for 15 minutes.

Stir the salt and then the soft butter into the sponge. Add the remaining flour, about 1/3 cup at a time, stirring well each time. When the dough balls up and becomes impossible to stir, four your hands and knead the dough right in the bowl for 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a well-floured counter and continue to knead it for about 6 or 7 more minutes, until it's smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a large, clean, lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat the entire surface. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm, draft-free spot until the dough doubles (about 1 hour). Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Stir together the brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon in a small bowl until well combined.

When the dough has risen, punch it down several times to deflate it. Then knead the dough again on a lightly floured surface for 1 minute. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Butter a 13- by 9-inch baking pan.

Flour your working area and, using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12- by 16-inch rectangle so that a long edge is closest to you. If the dough springs back (it should stay where you've rolled it), let it rest another 2 or 3 minutes.

Spread the soft butter over the dough, leaving a 1-inch boarder along each of the long edges. Cover the butter evenly with the cinnamon-nut mixture, pressing it down gently. Lightly moisten both long edges with water.

Starting at the long edge closest to you, snugly roll up the dough like a rug. Pinch the seam together. With a sharp serrated knife, score the dough in the centre, then at the centre of each half. With those marks as guides, cut the dough into 12 equal pieces.

Evenly space the rolls in the pan, brushing the outer edges with a little melted butter (to keep them from sticking together as they bake). Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise until nearly doubled, about 35 to 45 minutes. Heat the oven to 180ºc near the end of the rising.

Remove the plastic and bake the rolls on the center oven rack for about 30 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Run a spatula around the pan to loosen the rolls, then invert them onto a large baking sheet. Carefully pull apart the rolls and set them right side up on a cooling rack for 15 to 20 minutes. Drizzle on the Sweet Glaze (see below). Serve warm. Makes 12 large rolls.

Sweet Glaze: This delicious glaze is perfect on the cinnamon rolls, so don't skimp. To make it, place cream cheese into a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on low speed for 3 minutes add the sugar and the milk and mix until incorporated. The icing should be smooth and flowing, but not overly runny. Add a little extra milk if needed.