The Martlet

Nothing makes essays go better than cinnamon buns, fresh from the oven. Try this recipe for some real studying soul food.

Cinnamon buns -

1,100 to 1,200 ml (4 3/4 to 5 1/4 cups) flour
10 ml (2 tsp) yeast
250 ml (1 cup) vanilla almond milk
80 ml (1/3 cup) margarine
80 ml (1/3 cup) brown sugar
5 ml (1 tsp) rum extract
10 ml (2 tsp) cinnamon
1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
200 ml (3/4 cup) apple sauce or mashed banana
200 ml (3/4 cup) packed brown sugar
55 ml (1/4 cup) flour
15 ml (1 tbsp) ground cinnamon
80 ml (1/3 cup) margarine
125 ml (1/2 cup) raisins
125 ml (1/2 cup) chopped pecans
30 ml (1/8 cup) vanilla almond milk

Preheat oven to 150 C (300 F) and turn off. 

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, stir milk, margarine, sugar, extract, cinnamon and salt until margarine melts. Mix in fruit puree and stir until blended.

In a large bowl, combine 550 ml (2 1/4 cups) of the flour with yeast. Add wet ingredients and stir vigorously for three minutes, adding in as much remaining flour as possible.

Turn dough onto lightly-floured surface. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour if necessary. Shape into a ball and place in a lightly-oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in warmed oven until doubled in size.

Punch dough down. Divide in half and roll each section into a 30 by 23 centimetre (12 by 9 inch) rectangle. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon for filling; cut in 55 ml (1/4 cup) butter and mix until filling resembles coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle filling over dough rectangles, and sprinkle filling with raisins and pecans. Roll up each rectangle form the long side; slice each log into 12 pieces. Place in prepared baking pans and cover, rising until
 doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F). Brush tops of rolls with almond milk and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and brush with remaining milk.

Cool and frost with icing of your choice. Makes 24 rolls.