Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar) | Let the Right One In

It's time for the August edition of the All Vampire Book and a Movie Challenge! This month's picks were Let the Right One In, a novel by Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist and the Swedish movie adaptation by the same name (screenplay also written by the author). There was also an American remake of the book/film called Let Me In. Today I'm going to talk a little bit about all three.

I'd seen both movies, each when they first came out on dvd, but I only remembered bits and pieces. This was my first time reading the book. Also worth mentioning is that there have been a couple of stage adaptions of the book, as well as a comic book series, and a reported television adaptation.

Giant Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls

It was almost exactly 5 years ago to the day that I made my first from scratch, fully homemade batch of cinnamon rolls. I was so darn proud of myself, because I had just started to become friends with yeast. We're a family of cinnamon roll eaters through the generations, so that was a pretty significant moment in my life. Coincidentally, they also had a pumpkin base. But oh, how far I've come since then. Where once I avoided baking yeast breads like they were the plague, I now long for the comfort of their company in the kitchen. What a difference 5 years can make.

So, when our #TwelveLoaves host for the month, the lovely Renee from Kudos Kitchen by Renee, announced that our theme for November was pumpkin, I automatically knew that I was making cinnamon rolls. No, that's a lie—but wouldn't it have been poetic? I was actually leaning towards savory. Visions of a sage-laced pumpkin cornbread danced in my head. And then I entertained a rustic loaf that still included sage, but also bacon. I even had all of the ingredients ready to go for that one. But instead, the craving for cinnamon rolls full-on telenovela-slapped me across the face. Cinnamon rolls it was.

I've mentioned (many times) before that I'm a bit of a connoisseur. I love a good straightforward cinnamon bun without any bells and whistles, but I can't help but veer off the path, picking up random bells and whistles and sticking them in my bag for later. Today is a bells and whistles day. Did I just say bells and whistles far too many times in one paragraph? 

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls {#GRAINHoliday}

A while back, I posed a serious question on Facebook. "Gingerbread: Cake or Bread?"  I mean, it's cake.  We all know it's cake.  So why is it called bread!?  It's one of life's little mysteries.  Like driving on a parkway and parking on a driveway.  It just is.  The majority of people said cake.  A few stepped out of the box and chose bread.  And I'm happy that somebody answered "cookies", because my life just would not be complete without one smart-alec in the mix.  Usually it's me, so...

But anyway, I decided then and there that I was going to make it my mission to turn gingerbreadcake into actual gingerbread.  I'm talking full-on yeast bread, too.  A quick bread would be just too close to cake to actually be considered different, I think.

Don't get me wrong, though - I LOVE me some good old-fashioned gingerbread.  Especially around Christmas and the holiday season, in general.  But I got it in my head to do something, so do it, I did.  That's a fun thing to say..."so do it, I did". Really. Try it.

Hot Cross Cinnamon Buns

I love food with a story...with history.  You can find many variations for the beginnings of Hot Cross Buns.  Probably originally called simply "cross buns", they were sold hot - earning the expansion of their name.  Whether their lore lies in Pagan or Christian roots is probably the biggest debate.  But, like many beliefs, there is a golden thread of truth that runs throughout each sect to connect them all.

It is that that for most of time, bakers have marked their buns, breads, and other baked goods with a cross to ward off the evils spirits (this gives them an escape) that could cause the bread to go stale or moldy.

Hot Cross Buns were often studded with dried fruit and warming spices such as cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg.  Some even believed in their healing properties.  When made at home, one from each batch would be allowed to dry - this bun was considered good luck and hung in the kitchen for 12 months.  It was believed to ward of fire, but could also be grated and sprinkled into medicine to ward off disease.

Giant Cinnamon Rolls w/ Buttermilk Glaze

I consider myself a bit of a cinnamon roll slash sweet roll slash sticky bun connoiseur.  I've talked about them before.  Talked about finding the perfect bun.  Tender on the outside.  Gooey on the inside.  Sweet, but not cloyingly so.  Cinnamon-sugar filling, citrus-scented, raisin and/or nut-studded....thick icing, thin glaze, no glaze at all...a layer of sticky, caramely nuts or not...I'm willing to give all forms a try.  

So.  When I opened my copy of the Joy the Baker cookbook, you can bet that one of the first things that I fastened a sticky-tab on was the page featuring a mouthwatering pan of giant cinnamon rolls.  With a buttermilk...oh yeah, buttermilk...glaze.  I almost wanted to set the book down right then and there and start making the dough.  But I waited until I'd made my way through the whole book.  And then I waited a few more days for the weekend to get here.  You know - so that I'd have other people in the house when they came out of the oven.  So that I wouldn't be tempted to eat them all.  Okay, not that I actually could, because these babies are HUGE.  And rich.  And absolutely, fantastically delicious.  Plan on these being your meal.  And have a tall, cold glass of milk within your reach.  And maybe a bed.

Honey Buns (just like storebought, only better)

You know those Honey Buns that you can find in vending machines? I'm about to admit that I've never really liked them. I know, I know. So many people are die-hards - they love them with their coffee, or when they feel a junk food urge. I've always found them to be too sweet and too "stiff" (I like my buns soft, apparently). But I like the idea of them.

Fast forward to finding a recipe for cinnamon rolls from Judith Fertig that featured a honeyed dough and an apple cider glaze. I didn't think twice about trying them (cinnamon roll connoisseur here, in case you didn't know).

They're big. Like, really big. And do you know what the funny thing is? They are almost a Honey Bun replica - only exactly how I would want a Honey Bun to be...soft and irresistible. So, step away from the vending machine (or the snack aisle), and step into the kitchen. You won't be disappointed.

Pumpkin Brioche CINNAMON ROLLS!!! You want one...doncha!?

There's no stoppin' me now! Me and the BBY are getting to know each other. And we like what we see. I even made cinnamon rolls that you didn't have to pop from a can first! Not that I'll totally shun that convenience, because yeast takes time...but I will definitely make them from scratch any chance I get! 

When I made the Pumpkin Pie Brioche dough last week as a part of the new baking group Healthy Bread in Five, I had half a recipe left in the fridge. After seeing many tempting variations on a plain loaf, I knew cinnamon rolls was the way I had to go. And guess what...it wasn't hard! In fact, it was heavenly. I love the feeling of the dough in my hands...the rolling of the pin...the slight resistance of the dough...perhaps I was a baker in a different life.

Pumpkin Brioche Cinnamon Rolls w/ Cinnamon Icing

(Pumpkin Pie Brioche dough from HBin5)

yield: 12 (big ones)

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Rolls:

½ recipe Pumpkin Pie Brioche dough

4 Tbs. butter, soft

2 handfuls brown sugar

cinnamon, as needed

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Cinnamon Icing:

2 Tbs. butter, melted

3 Tbs. milk

2 c. powdered sugar

¼ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. vanilla

Turn your dough out onto a floured surface. This dough is pretty wet, so pat it in a bit of flour, just so that you're able to work with it.

Shape it into a rectangle.

Roll out to about 1/4" thickness. I'm sorry, I forgot to actually measure the dimensions...but you can basically see in the photo to get an idea.

Rub the softened butter all over the top surface of the dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter and then sprinkle with cinnamon...as much as you'd like. I went fairly light since my icing has cinnamon in it.

With the long edge horizontal in front of you, begin rolling, jellyroll fashion.

Continue rolling, keeping it as tight as possible until you reach the end.

You should now have a thick log. Push it in at the ends a bit if it seems to thin out.

Using a lightly floured bench scraper, cut into 12 even slices. The easiest way is to cut in half, then quarters...then cut each quarter into 3 equal parts.

Place in a greased 13 x 9 pan and set in a warm place, loosely covered to rise for 90 minutes. It's going to seem like the pan is too big...but no worries.

Those BBY really get busy in this 90 minutes!! The original dough that didn't fill the pan...it's puffed right up and out and the rolls are now crowding each other. Nice! Place your pan in the center of a pre-heated 350° F oven and bake for ~18-22 minutes. But as ovens vary, use your eyes and your nose and touch 'em!!

While they're baking, mix up your icing. Simply place all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix them up! Set it aside until the rolls are ready.

You should be able to tell when they're done...even if you've only ever made the pop can kind! Take those babies out of the oven...

...and drizzle or spread with icing while still warm.

Pull one out...

...and enjoy.

Immensely!!!

If I can do it...you can do it! Now I wish they weren't all gone...because I want another one :)

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