Sweet treat for a Sunday evening

FINALLY! I can't tell you how many times I've tried to make cinnamon rolls to only have them turn out so disappointingly: dry, overcooked, bad texture, etc.

I decided it would be a good maiden voyage for my new Kitchen Aid. I found a recipe a long time ago for Brioche Cinnamon Rolls, so I thought I'd try it out. FAILURE! The dough was SUPER-DE-DUPER runny and it never rose properly (due to my error. The recipe didn't specify the type of yeast, but I should have known that it needed instant. I had active dry and should have proofed it first.).

That was yesterday. Today was a new day that called for a new recipe.

I actually ended up using a brioche type recipe from my Kitchen Aid Manual. It turned out splendidly. The rolls were a nice texture, they weren't overdone, and the whole pan cooked evenly. The only thing I'll change next time is add a little more cinnamon/sugar to suit Matt's taste buds.

Basic Sweet Dough
Ingredients
3/4 C. low fat milk
1/2 C. sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C. butter
2 packages (or 4 1/2 tsp.) active dry yeast
1/3 C warm water
3 eggs, room temperature
5 1/2-6 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

To turn it into cinnamon rolls:
1 1/2 C brown sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 cube softened butter

Directions

1. Dissolve yeast and 1 Tbsp of the sugar in warm water in the mixer bowl. Let it proof while going to step 2.
2. Place milk, the rest of the sugar, salt and butter in small saucepan. Heat over low until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to luke warm.
   
3. Add lukewarm milk mixture, eggs, and 5 C flour. Attach bowl and Dough Hook to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 2 min.
4. Continuing on Speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 C. at a time, and mix about 1 1/2 mints, or until dough starts to clean sides of bowl. Knead on speed 2 about 2 min. longer.
5. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover, and let rise in warm place about 1 hour, or until doubled.
6. (My instructions to get this dough to cinnamon rolls) Roll out to a decent sized rectangle, spread butter all over, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture all over the top.
7. Roll up and slice into 1 1/2 in. rolls with floss.
8. Place in greased metal baking pan with a little room to expand. Cover them and let them rise another hour or so.
9. Bake in a 350* oven on the 4th rack from the bottom for 14-15 min. (That's how it was for my oven at least. Every oven's a little different.)

I used the frosting recipe from this recipe. Yum.

The Kitchen Aid had a good (second) maiden voyage run.