Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Coffee and Cream Rolls

I love bread. I read somewhere that scents help capture memories. To me the scent of baking bread is forever equated with sunny Sunday afternoons after church service. The church I attended as a child with my parents sat just down the block from Franz bakery. The big hub bakery that sent out loaves to grocery stores. We didn't always walk to church but I remember stopping for donuts when we did. After service the scent of baking bread hit the hungry congregation. It was rough when you were fasting. As small kids, my sister and I were exempt from the rigours of fasting and were given cups of yogurt and told to sit quietly on the back pews. "Be quiet and don't show everyone your food." Thus was the 11th commandment. We knew, no donuts, no after church lunch out. So for those not fasting (or worse on Atkins) here is a recipe for Sundays or any lazy morning you have time for rolls.

Coffee and Cream Rolls

1 tsp dry active yeast
2 tbsp sugar
2 cups bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup slivered toasted almonds (or walnuts if you prefer)

3 tbsp butter
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar

1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup Kahlua

If you have a bread machine combine first seven ingredients per your machine instructions and stop at end of dough cycle.
If you do not have a bread machine heap flour and salt on a sheet of parchment paper and crater the center. Activate the yeast in warmed milk with sugar. Combine active yeast to beaten egg and pour into the crater. Using 2 fingers, stir in flour a little at a time. Shore up the outside of your flour heap until all ingredients are combined into a soft dough ball.

Note: It took me a while to do this manual method with out being a complete slob at it. My four year old saw me doing it and remarked, "A volcano! When is it going to erupt?" 2 minutes later it did because I was not shoring up the outside vigilantly. I recommend using a bread machine if you have it or a Kitchenaid with a dough hook.

Let dough rest, covered for 10 minutes. On lightly floured surface roll dough into a rectangle appx 12x8 inches. Spread with butter and brown sugar. Roll up and pinch seams closed.
cut in 1 inch slices and place in prepared pans.

Note 2: Greased pans with sides. Cake pans work well. If you have followed above instructions for the manual method and realized I omitted the nuts, go ahead and spread them on the pan here. I prefer nuts worked throughout dough but I don't have three arms and so have not found a way to work them in manually that doesn't give me fits. Yet another reason to use your bread machine. I am biased and OK with that.

Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Dough should double in size. Combine cream and Kahlua; pour over rolls. bake at 350 about 25 minutes or until browned. Cool 5 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Share with friends for a warm glow of pride.

UPDATE! Sorry 'bout the major recipe omission, fixed now.

No comments: