July 17, 2008

Cinnamon Raisin Buns





Have you ever typed with a sparrow on your hand? Just asking, cause this is what I did this morning. Tweety is doing just fine, tries from time to time to fly a little, but he/she (still didn't look into this gender dilemma) cannot see with his left eye at all, so I think we'll keep him longer or for good.

Now, back to the recipe posting. I found out from other bloggers about a blog which I have never seen before, and I took a look at some of her recipes. While I like so many of them, I am holding back, because the last two years the 3-5 pounds that I was supposed to lose never went away, just piled up. So, I am trying not to crave too much and resist temptation, whenever it's possible, and this time was truly necessary.
But I couldn't keep away from her recipe for cinnamon buns. So I made it last night, just half a batch and still got soo many buns.
A couple of changes: (1) added raisins -because I love them, (2) used 2% fat milk (that's what we drink), (3) used butter at room temperature mixed with sugar (instead of melted butter and sprinkled sugar), and (4) used only 2/3 of the quantities recommended by her for butter and sugar ( which could be hard to do it, but since I kind of want to help myself with the "watching the weight" resolution, was not so hard). The butter thing I learned it while making "Wasps nests", which look pretty much the same as these buns, but have a different dough, then when you are baking them you pour over milk and sugar, which makes them heavenly sticky and delicious.
I will post the "Wasps nests" recipe, which I have it from Angelique, later on.
This is the recipe with ingredients for half a batch. For a better and fuller one, including step-by-step photos and funny comments, go to the original link, I recommend it. Plus, you could browse her recipes, which I think you will like.

Here is the recipe for half a batch:
Mix 1/2 quart of milk (500ml), 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, and 1/2 cup of sugar in a pan. Bring it to the boiling point, then turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour, until lukewarm, NOT HOT- the yeast will not be working anymore.
Add 2 teaspoons(1 packet) active dry yeast. Let the yeast bubble up for about 15-20 minutes, then add 4 cups of all-purpose flour.
Let it rise about 30 minutes in a warm place with no drafts, then add 1/2 more cup of flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder , 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 tablespoon of salt and stir mixture together.
Sprinkle your table/ surface with flour. Take half the dough and form a rectangle.
Then roll the dough thin, maintaining the rectangular shape. Spread 2/3 cups (12 tablespoons or 170g) butter mixed with 1/3 cup sugar over the dough and sprinkle with cinnamon and add raisins (which I soaked in water with some rum for about an hour0, if you want. roll the dough lengthwise, as tight as you can.
Butter your baking pans. Then begin cutting rolls approximately 3/4 to 1 inch thick and lay them in the buttered pans. Do the same with the other half of the dough.
Let the rolls sit for 20 to 30 minutes to rise, then bake at 400 degrees until light golden brown, about 15 to 17 minutes.
It made 25 buns.
I made simple icing, not the maple one - powdered sugar and milk- and poured over.

Cornuri cu scortisoara si stafide
Ati incercat vreodta sa tastati cu o vrabie pe mana? cam asa s-a intamplat azi dimineatza, cand Tweety al nostru s-a instalat frumos, iar eu m-am apucat de scris.
In urma cu cateva zile am gasit in blog de care nu stiam pana acum, unde am gasit multe retete interesante. Si desi multe din ele as vrea sa le si fac, va trebui sa ma abtin, numai dietetice nu sunt, iar eu e cazul sa am grija de kilogramele pe care le-am tot pus pe mine si am zis ca o sa le au jos, dar niciodata nu am reusit. Asa ca, nu sunt sigura pe cate le voi face daca nu le mai modific, dar la una din ele nu am putut zice nu, ci a trebuit sa fac aseara - Cornuri cu scortisoara.
Eu am facut numai jumatate de portie, pentru ca originalul e pt. 7 tavi ortunde de placinta, si tot am facut prea multe.
Am facut cateva mici modificari: (1) am adaugat stafide pt. ca imi plac foarte mult, (2) am folosit lapte degresat 2% grasime, (3) in loc sa ung cu unt topit si sa presar zahar, am frecat untul la temperatura camerei cu zaharul si am uns foaia de aluat, (4) am folosit numai 2/3 din catitatea de unt si zahar pt. uns. Am invatat sa ung aluatul cu unt asa din reteta pentru "Cuiburi de viespi" pe care o am de la Angelique si pe care o voi posta alta data.
Pentru reteta originala, completa si cu poze pas-cu-pas, precum si comentarii mai "inspirate", vizitati linkul de mai sus.
Reteta pt. jumatate de portie:
Puneti la fiert intr-o craticioara 1/2 litru lapte (500ml), 100 ml ulei si 125 g zahar tos. Aduceti pana la punctul de fierbere, apoi dati craticioara la o parte si lasati sa se raceasca timp de 45-60 minute, pana e caldutza, NU FIERBINTE, altfel nu mai reactioneaza drojdia. Adaugati 2 linguritze (1 pachet de 7g) drojdie uscata granule. Lasati maiaua sa creasca timp de 15-20 minute, apoi adaugati 500 g faina. Lasati-o sa creasca la loc ferit, timp de 30 minute, apoi mai adaugati 60-70 g faina, 1/2 lingurita praf de copt, 1/2 lingurita bicarbonat de sodiu si 1/2 lingurita sare, si framantati aluatul bine.
Presarati masa cu faina, luati jumatate de aluat si intindeti-l subtire cu sucitorul in forma dreptunghiulara. Ungeti aluatul cu untul frecat cu zahar (170g unt si 70 g zahar) , apoi presarati cu scortisoara si daca vreti si stafide (le-am tinut in apa cu putin rom timp de o ora) sau ce va place voua. Rulati pe lungime, cat de strans puteti.
Ungeti tava de copt cu unt, apoi taiati aluatul in bucati late de 2.5-3 cm, si puneti-le in tava. Procedati la fel cu restul de aluat.
Se las acornuri la crescut in tava timp de 20-30 minute, acoperite cu un prosop curat de bucatarie, dupa care se coc la 200 C(400 F) timp de 15-17 minute, pana sunt aurii.
Din ingredientele de mai sus mi-au iesit 25 cornuri.
Deasupra am pus glazura de zahar, fara aroma de artar- zahar pudra frecat cu putin lapte.

No comments: