Self-Isolation and Cinnamon Buns
As I am writing this, we are coming up on about two weeks of isolation in Toronto. 2 weeks, at home, without work, or school or a social life, feels more like two months. Coming from a pretty hectic life chasing after a class-full of kindergarteners everyday, teaching yoga, and training at the studio for several hours a night, I didn’t quite know what to make of this new down time. The first week, I was pretty content and comfortable in my PJs, watching Jane the Virgin and Schitt’s Creek on Netflix while solving jigsaw puzzles, and spending more time walking my dog in a day than she usually gets in a week. It feels strange, and a bit uncomfortable, this unscheduled existence, but my body and mind needed it. At least that first week.
Now its week two and I’m getting restless. I thought about writing this blog. I would sit down in front of my computer, check facebook, check my email, watch a few youtube videos, and then stare at a blank document. And then do something I do best. Procrasti-bake.
So while this is not much of a post, what I do have to make up for it is a pretty scrumptious batch of cinnamon buns.
Because if there was ever a time to spend hours waiting for yeast to proof and dough to rise, it would be in the midst of a country wide isolation period.
This recipe was relatively easy, with no exotic ingredients, everything you probably have in your pantry. And while it is a yeast-based recipe, even the rising and kneading process is simplified nicely.
I chose to make each bun a little smaller, forming about 18 cinnamon buns. They rose like crazy, and I was a little overwhelmed by how much the recipe seemed to make. I was concerned that they might not all get eaten before they started to go stale, there was so many, and just four of us in the house. Turns out, I didn’t need to worry. They did not even last 24 hours. I don’t know if I need to sell you on this recipe any more than that.
Except maybe in saying, its Sunday, Bun Day! ;)
Oh, and whether you are or not, these buns are vegan. They won’t judge you, so please don’t judge them.
Let me know if you try it, and maybe what you have been up to these first couple weeks of isolation.
Stay healthy!
Easy Peasy Cinny Buns
Recipe Adapted from Vegan Brunch, By Isa Chandra Moskovich
Dough:
2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
¼ cup sugar (plus 1 teaspoon)
¾ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup lukewarm water
¾ lukewarm milk (I used vanilla unsweetened oat milk)
½ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour
Filling:
⅓ cup brown sugar
¼ cup cane sugar
1 generous tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons flour
¼ cup margarine or coconut oil, melted
Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 ½- 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
Splash of vanilla extract (optional)
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and salt in lukewarm water. Be sure water is warm, but not hot, or it will kill the yeast and it will not rise. Let sit for a few minutes until it seems bubbly and beginning to froth.
Once frothing nicely, add the rest of the sugar, cinnamon milk of your choice, and oil. Stir vigorously to combine. Stir in 2 cups of the flour. Then add the rest of the flour about ⅓ cup at a time. Once a soft dough forms, it’s time to knead. You can do this with a dough hook on your standing mixer if you have one, or on a clean, flat surface, with a generous coating of flour. Kneed for 5-7 minutes, adding flour as necessary in order for you to work with it, until the dough is nice and smooth. Dough may be a little sticky to touch, but not so much that it is falling apart or losing its shape.
After kneading, lightly grease a large bowl to hold the dough for it to rise. Cover the dough with a piece of waxed paper or parchment and then drape a tea towel overtop. SEt in a warm place to rice, or on the bread proof function in your oven. Let rise for about an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, punch it down to prevent it from over-rising, and let it rest for about ten minutes. Use this time to prepare the filling. Mix together the cinnamon, sugars, and flour in a small bowl. Melt the margarine or coconut oil by microwaving in a glass measuring cup.
Time to roll the buns! Lightly flour a flat surface and roll dough out into a large rectangle about 12 by 18 inches. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the surface of the dough. Then lightly dot or drizzle with the melted oil or margarine.
Carefully roll up from the long side, going as slow as you need to make a tight, even, roll.
Grease a 11 by 13 inch rimmed baking pan. Use a sharp knife to slice the large roll into 12-15 even pieces. Place in the pan cut side down, a couple inches apart. Its ok if they are snug, as you want them to come together as they bake. Cover with parchment and tea towel again, and set somewhere warm to rise for another 30-45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. When the buns seem to be doubled in size, place in the oven and bake for about 18-22 minutes. You may want to turn the pan around for more even baking near the end of this time if your oven is finicky like mine. They are done when they are lightly browned and puffy.
Remove from oven and let cool as you mix the ingredients together to make the icing, adding more icing sugar or liquid as needed for a smooth drizzle-able consistency.
Drizzle the icing over the warm buns and serve as soon as you can!
Bon Apetit!
