So here's the story: When I was in grad school in Chicago I worked part time as a cashier at a bakery and got addicted. I didn't just get addicted to all the cookies, pasties, and amazing breads we had, but I got addicted to the smells, the waking up early to have artisan breads waiting for customers as they started their work day, the attention to detail, the living qualities of a great bread, and simply the process of creating something so capable of affecting all the senses. I have to make a disclaimer though - I never did any baking! I just observed our bakers every time I had the chance as I passed through the back of the bakery to get supplies or to clock in and out. Now being a couple years removed from that job, I still have this addiction and decided to do something about it. So here it goes. The plan is to make something for my coworkers every Monday morning. For starters I am going to use Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Everyday and see how the recipes work out for me. Eventually, I will branch out and work on some recipes of my own. All comments and suggestions are welcome - and feel free to point out any major mistakes.
Enjoy and Happy Monday!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Cinnamon Rolls and Sticky Buns

Forgive the late entry this week. We had Monday off and I was too lazy to post day one for the Cinnamon Rolls and Sticky Buns, but you didn't miss much. Day one is pretty simple. As simple as just mixing up the dough and then throwing it in the fridge and letting is rise. As I mentioned before, that's what I like so much about the recipes in Artisan Breads Everyday - they are simple and broken apart so that it never seems like too much work.
Day two is a little more involved and time consuming. And when I am waking up in the middle of the night to do the baking, let's just say my attention to detail isn't always as sharp as it should be. This morning I woke up around 2:45 because the dough needs to be shaped and left to proof for two hours before baking. And the slurry for the Sticky Buns needs to be made before the proofing stage. So if you are slow on shaping and making the slurry, you need to add two more hours before you are even going to get it in the oven which can end up making you late to work - especially if you have a 7:30 meeting. For shaping for both, you roll out the dough, cover it with cinnamon sugar, and roll it up into a tight log. Then cut into about 1 inch pieces and either put some in the pan with slurry or to make some fantastically large Cinnamon Rolls, just place the pieces on a cookie sheet to let them expand.
But waking up early is all worth it when the smell of Cinnamon Rolls and Sticky Buns fills the house! My favorite thing about working at the bakery in Chicago was riding my bike in for the opening shift and being able to smell the Cinnamon Rolls about a block away and knowing that was the first thing I was going to eat that morning. So it's pretty awesome to recreate that experience - I just need to leave the windows open and ride around the block I guess.
The only difference between the Cinnamon Rolls and the Sticky Buns is the slurry which the Sticky Buns are baked in. When baking, the slurry caramelizes and creates that fantastic toffee sticky-ness that defines the Sticky Bun. For the Cinnamon Rolls, you just make a simple fondant glaze with
some confectioners sugar and milk. Enjoy!

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