Buttermilk Cinnamon Bun Result = To.Die.For

After the disappointment of my first cinnamon bun attempt, I was determined to try again.  A dear girlfriend was having a 'coffee morning' at her place this past Tuesday and I decided to give the buttermilk cinnamon bun recipe a go.  Result: FANTASTIC!  They received absolute rave reviews! 

I followed the recipe to a T (almost, anyway) and used the instructions (again) on how to form the rolls (see the 'PHOTOS' comment in step 4 in the recipe below for the link to the instructions).  The dough was to die for...super smooth, almost silky.  The cinnamon mix was the same as I used last time (fabulous), and the topping was similar (I liked the one listed in this recipe better and is what I used this time).  I found that the serrated knife works perfectly and haven't had to bother with using floss yet.  All in all, a wonderful, wonderful, highly recommended recipe!

The slight changes I made intentionally or otherwise:

• I forgot to warm the buttermilk before mixing w/the butter and the eggs (DOH!).  I mixed the melted butter, eggs, and buttermilk together in a glass mixing jug and put in the microwave in 15 second intervals stirring well in between each interval to ensure the mixture wasn't 'cooking' the eggs.  I think I did about 3 or 4 intervals until 110 degrees was reached.  No issue with this method, though I'm going to try and remember to heat the buttermilk on its own next time ;).
• I used 4 1/8 c of flour (didn't need the last 2 Tbsp)
• I used 2Tbsp of Cinnamon in the roll mixture instead of 2 tsp
• I omitted the cloves from the roll mixture
• I used 1 tsp of vanilla in the glaze instead of 1/2 tsp 
• I did refrigerate the dough overnight per the note at the end of the recipe, and let them rise an hour and a half the following morning before baking them.  I love the tip on heating your oven and then shutting it off to allow the buns to rise in a 'warm place'.  Worked like a charm!

Here it is again, just in case ;).

Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls

Uncoil the tight swirls and dig in.

By America's Test Kitchen | April 13, 2012

Makes 12 rolls
These soft rolls bake into each other, but can be pulled apart easily before serving or at the table.

DOUGH
¾ cup buttermilk, warm (110 degrees)
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs
4¼ cups (21¼ ounces) all-purpose flour (ended up needing 4 1/8 cups)
¼ cup (1¾ ounces) sugar
1 envelope (2¼ teaspoons) instant or rapid-rise yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt

ROLLS
¾ cup packed (5¼ ounces) light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (I use 2 Tbsp)
¼ teaspoon ground cloves (I omit this)
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

GLAZE
1½ cups (6 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons buttermilk or milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract (I use 1 tsp)


1. For the Dough: Whisk the warmed buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs together in a large liquid measuring cup. Combine 4 cups of the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt together in a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. With the mixer on low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and mix until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes.
2. Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If after 5 minutes more flour is needed, add the remaining ¼ cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough clears the side of the bowl but sticks to the bottom.
3. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 2 to 2½ hours.
4. For the Rolls: Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a small bowl. Following the photos, turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured counter and press it into a 16 by 12-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the melted butter, then sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over it, leaving a ¾-inch border along the top edge. Press on the filling to adhere it to the dough.
5. Loosen the dough from the counter using a bench scraper (or metal spatula), and roll the dough into a tight log. Pinch the seam closed and roll the log seam side down. Gently stretch the log to be 18 inches in length with an even diameter and pat the ends to even them.
6. Slice the cylinder into 12 evenly sized rolls (about 1½ inches wide) using a serrated knife. Arrange the rolls cut side down in the prepared baking pan and wrap tightly with greased plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until the rolls have nearly doubled in size and are pressed against one another, 1 to 1½ hours.
7. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the rolls until golden and puffed, 25 to 30 minutes.
8. For the Glaze: Flip the rolls out onto a wire rack set over a sheet of parchment paper (for easy cleanup) and let cool for 5 minutes. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, softened cream cheese, buttermilk, and vanilla together in a medium bowl until smooth. Flip the rolls upright, drizzle with the glaze, and serve.
To Make Ahead: In step 6, do not let the rolls rise, but refrigerate them overnight or up to 16 hours. Let the rolls sit at room temperature until they have nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour, then bake as directed.

Cinnamon Bun Result

I really, really wanted to follow the buttermilk cinnamon bun recipe, but to my horror I realized last night at 9pm that I did not have any buttermilk in my refrigerator (gasp!).  So then I went back to the drawing boards (slightly) to see how to alter the recipe.  I also realized that I only had 2 eggs, instead of the required 3.  Oi.  However, I muddled onwards.

My recipe turned out to basically mirror that of the buttermilk cinnamon bun with the exception of the buttermilk and 2 eggs instead of 3.  Here's what I used:

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 3/4 cup whole milk, heated to 110 degrees
• 1 envelope (2 1/4 teas) rapid-rise yeast or instant yeast
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 4  cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 7-8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the filling: 

• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tbs ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1-2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the Glaze:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 tbs whole milk
• 1 teas vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) confectioners sugar

For the dough: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 100 degrees C. When oven reaches 100 degrees C, shut off. Line 13×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess to hang over pan edges. 

Whisk milk and yeast in liquid measuring cup until yeast dissolves, then whisk in eggs and melted butter (I did this, but since the yeast is rapid rise, it doesn't require to be reconstituted in a warm liquid.  Next time I'll mix the yeast in with the dry ingredients and just whisk the milk, eggs and melted butter). 

In bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour, sugar and salt until combined (again, will add yeast here next time). With mixer on low, add warm milk mixture in steady stream and mix until dough comes together, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium* and continue to mix until dough is smooth and comes away from sides of bowl, about 10 minutes. Turn dough out onto clean surface and knead to form smooth, round ball. Transfer dough to prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warm oven. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

*NOTE: I have a kitchen aid mixer - 6qt bowl, 475 watts, epicurean model; the user manual clearly states that the ONLY speed the dough hook should be used on is 2.  I blew the gear previously when I tried making dough and was using a speed greater than 2.  This time I disregarded the manual (again!) and turned the speed up to 4.  I'm pretty sure I wore the gear considerably as I noticed some metal shavings on the top of the dough hook where the hook attaches.  I will NEVER again put the mixer on a speed higher than 2 with the bread hook.  So then, when directions say 'medium' speed for using a dough hook, and you have a kitchen aid, I highly suggest you disregard this instruction and stick with speed 2 if you don't want to have to replace your gear.

For the Filling: Melt 1-2 tbsp of butter.  Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.

Forming the cinnamon buns: (shamelessly stolen from http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/bake-it-better/2012/04/secrets-to-beautiful-cinnamon-rolls/)


STEP #1 Form the risen dough into a rectangle: Working on a lightly floured counter, press the dough into a 16 by 12-inch rectangle with the long side facing you. Be sure to use a ruler as it is important to get the rectangle the right size or you will not end up with the right number of rolls or rolls that are the right size. Brush the dough with melted butter.



STEP #2 Add the filling and leave a border: Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough leaving a ¾-inch border along the top edge. If you don’t leave a border, it will be harder to get the dough to stick together when you form a cylinder and it may unroll. Press the filling to adhere it to the dough.



STEP #3 Form a tidy, even cylinder: Form a tidy, even cylinder: Carefully roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Do this slowly and with great care since an uneven cylinder will yield squat, misshapen rolls.



STEP #4 Seal the dough cylinder tightly: Once the dough is rolled tightly, pinch the dough together to close the cylinder and create a secure seam. Roll the cylinder over so that it is seam-side down.



STEP #5 Stretch and measure: Gently stretch the cylinder until it is 18 inches long with an even diameter. You may have to work with the cylinder a few times, stretching and patting the ends until it is exactly the right length. Pat the ends of the cylinder when you are done to even them.



STEP #6 Slice and arrange: Use a serrated knife to slice the cylinder into 12 evenly sized rolls. If you try to use any other sort of knife you will mash the soft dough. The rolls are fragile, so use a light hand and arrange them cut-side down in a greased 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan (I used baking parchment paper in place of greasing the pan).

What mine looked like after being cut:

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour (I covered these w/plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator overnight.  I took them out in the morning and put them inside a warmed oven and let them rise for 1 1/2 hours).

What mine looked like just prior to baking (after letting them rise for 1 1/2 hrs).   

For the Glaze and to Bake: Heat oven to 350 F/175C degrees.
Beat cream cheese, milk vanilla and confectioners’ sugar in medium bowl until smooth.
Bake buns until deep golden brown and filling is melted, 25 to 30 minutes.

Mine, just out of the oven:

Transfer pan to wire rack and top buns with 1/2 cup glaze (used a pastry brush to glaze the buns); cool 30 minutes.

Mine, just out of the oven and immediately brushed w/ 1/2 c glaze:

Using paper overhang, lift buns from pan and top with remaining glaze. Serve.

The remnants:

THOUGHTS: 
The dough:  The dough for these buns was easy to make and came out beautiful!  What a joy to finally make a good dough :).  I definitely prefer rapid rise yeast to that of regular yeast, thus omitting the water step. 

The buns:  Preparing the buns was also quite simple and the instructions I found on americastestkitchenfeed.com were incredibly helpful.  These would be quite easy and quick to make if it weren't for all the time required for the dough to rise (obviously).  I did come across some non yeast cinnamon bun recipes and am curious to give those a whirl, solely in an effort to reduce the overall time to make buns.  We shall see ;).

The final product: In the end I thought the buns were a little dry.  I can't tell if it's because I mistakenly may have dried them out prior to baking (I removed the plastic wrap after taking the buns out of the refrigerator prior to warming them in the oven for their final rise before baking), if the oven was a bit too hot (175C, but it is a fan oven, so maybe I should have dropped it to 150-160), or that 3rd egg really would have made a difference ;).  I don't think they were baked too long, but that's also a possibility.  Nevertheless, they were delicious and I'm not all that disappointed with this experience given that the overall prep time wasn't long at all. 

I think the next batch will be made with the buttermilk cinnamon bun recipe (i.e. I will have buttermilk on hand and will have the required 3 eggs ;).  I will most likely refrigerate the dough overnight again solely based on time, and I will remember to keep the plastic wrap on for the final rise prior to baking.  I will also reduce the oven temp slightly to around 155C-160C and check on them around 20 minutes. 

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Rolls

I have had a craving for cinnamon rolls for the past few days, but know the time allowance required for making them and also wanted to find a 'To. Die. For' recipe.  After much research, I found two recipes.  One is for a buttermilk cinnamon roll and the other is with regular milk.

Which one will I try first?  The buttermilk one, of course ;).

The recipes are quite similar with a few alterations - the buttermilk recipe uses rapid rise yeast thus eliminating the step for dissolving yeast in warm/hot water, it uses a 1/4c more of buttermilk (3/4C vs. 1/2C) and 3 eggs vs 1 egg and 2 egg yolks. 

The filling in the regular milk recipe received rave reviews and will be using that in place of the buttermilk cinnamon roll recipe - essentially it calls for 2Tbsp of cinnamon vs 2 tsp and does not require cloves.

The topping's are similar, so no comment there.

I'll be making these tonight, letting them sit overnight in the fridge, taking them out in the morning to proof for an hour or so, and then bake them for 30 minutes.  

I'll let you know how they turn out :).

P.S. I found the majority of the comments on these recipes to be about which utensil to use to cut the rolls (serrated knife, electric knife, dental floss, etc.).  Universally dental floss was recommended!  I'll be giving it a whirl. 

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls

Uncoil the tight swirls and dig in.

By America's Test Kitchen | April 13, 2012

Makes 12 rolls
These soft rolls bake into each other, but can be pulled apart easily before serving or at the table.

DOUGH
¾ cup buttermilk, warm (110 degrees)
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs
4¼ cups (21¼ ounces) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (1¾ ounces) sugar
1 envelope (2¼ teaspoons) instant or rapid-rise yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt

ROLLS
¾ cup packed (5¼ ounces) light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (i'll be using 2 Tbsp)
¼ teaspoon ground cloves (i'll be eliminating this)
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

GLAZE
1½ cups (6 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons buttermilk or milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract


1. For the Dough: Whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs together in a large liquid measuring cup. Combine 4 cups of the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt together in a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. With the mixer on low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and mix until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes.
2. Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If after 5 minutes more flour is needed, add the remaining ¼ cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough clears the side of the bowl but sticks to the bottom.
3. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 2 to 2½ hours.
4. For the Rolls: Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a small bowl. Following the photos, turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured counter and press it into a 16 by 12-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the melted butter, then sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over it, leaving a ¾-inch border along the top edge. Press on the filling to adhere it to the dough.
5. Loosen the dough from the counter using a bench scraper (or metal spatula), and roll the dough into a tight log. Pinch the seam closed and roll the log seam side down. Gently stretch the log to be 18 inches in length with an even diameter and pat the ends to even them.
6. Slice the cylinder into 12 evenly sized rolls (about 1½ inches wide) using a serrated knife. Arrange the rolls cut side down in the prepared baking pan and wrap tightly with greased plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until the rolls have nearly doubled in size and are pressed against one another, 1 to 1½ hours.
7. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the rolls until golden and puffed, 25 to 30 minutes.
8. For the Glaze: Flip the rolls out onto a wire rack set over a sheet of parchment paper (for easy cleanup) and let cool for 5 minutes. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, softened cream cheese, buttermilk, and vanilla together in a medium bowl until smooth. Flip the rolls upright, drizzle with the glaze, and serve.
To Make Ahead: In step 6, do not let the rolls rise, but refrigerate them overnight or up to 16 hours. Let the rolls sit at room temperature until they have nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour, then bake as directed.

Cinnamon Rolls (adapted from Cooks Illustrated’s The New Best Recipe - http://www.crumblycookie.net/2008/04/07/cinnamon-rolls/)

This was the first time I’ve used dental floss to cut the rolled and filled dough into rolls. It worked wonderfully, but a serrated knife will get the job done as well.

The pictures are showing a half recipe.

Dough:
½ cup milk
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
1 envelope (2¼ teaspoons) yeast
¼ cup (1¾ ounce) sugar
1 large egg, plus 2 large egg yolks
1½ teaspoons salt
4-4 ½ cups (20 to 21¼ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface

Filling:
¾ cup packed (5¼ ounces) light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon melted butter

Glaze:
1 cup (4 ounces) confectioners sugar, sifted to remove lumps
1 ounce cream cheese, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons milk

1. Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave until the butter melts. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside until the mixture is lukewarm (about 100 degrees).

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, mix together the water, yeast, sugar, egg, and yolks at low speed until well mixed. Add the salt, warm milk mixture, and 2 cups of the flour and mix at medium speed until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute. Switch to the dough hook, add another 2 cups of the flour, and knead at medium speed (adding up to ¼ cup more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary) until the dough is smooth and freely clears the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes. Shape the dough into a round, place it in a very lightly oiled large bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, 1½ to 2 hours.

3. Mix together the filling ingredients in a small bowl. Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.

4. After the dough has doubled in bulk, press it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, shape the dough into a 16 by 12-inch rectangle, with a long side facing you. Mix together the filling ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border at the far edges. Roll the dough, beginning with the long edge closest to you and using both hands to pinch the dough with your fingertips as you roll. Moisten the top border with water and seal the roll. Lightly dust the roll with flour and press on it ends if necessary to make a uniform 16-inch cylinder. Cut the roll in 12 equal pieces and place the rolls cut-side up in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, 1½ to 2 hours.

5. When the rolls are almost fully risen, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the rolls until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of one reads 185 to 188 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the glaze ingredients together until smooth. Glaze the rolls and serve.

My favorite baking utensils

The importance of my baking utensils can be compared to that of my husband's cycling and automotive tools.  They all have their special place, and they ALL serve a purpose.  Granted my utensils 'special' place is one gigantic kitchen drawer, but hey, I know where everything is ;).  And like my husband's tools, they are very near and dear to my heart.

My favorite ones, and I do have my favorites, are as follows and are in no particular order:

The Scooper: a handy little device that 'scoops' batter.  I have 3 different sized scoopers: the smallest I use to make tiny cookie dough balls for my chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream (non-baked, put into ice cream as is); the next is used to scoop cookie batter into balls to be baked; the largest is used to to dish out batter into cupcake and muffin pans.








The Zester:  I saw the difference zest makes in cookie and scone recipes, and, ever since, have become a HUGE fan of the zester.  Super simple to use and boy does it 'zest' lemons and oranges quickly! Sidenote: i'm a huge fan of the brand zyliss.
 





Rubber Spatulas (in a variety of sizes/shapes):  Probably the single most important utensil in baking after measuring cups and spoons.  I really don't know what I'd do without my rubber spatulas.  I'm pretty certain I use at least one every time I bake anything.  They are particularly useful in scraping the sides and bottoms of mixing bowls.  Not to mention gathering the remains left in the mixing bowl.  A true gem.

Pastry Brush:  Perhaps not used incredibly often, but a very handy item that I find myself constantly in search of when I cook in someone else's kitchen (and rarely find).  I bake scones very frequently and use this item to brush the tops and sides of my scones with a buttermilk/cinnamon sugar mixture.  When I don't have a pastry brush handy, I pour the topping over the scones and massage into the scones with my hands, but the excess pours out all along the scone dough and just makes clean up that much more exciting. 

The Whisk:  What recipe doesn't require a whisk?  Most things I bake I use the whisk to mix together the dry ingredients.  Any recipe requiring an egg I almost always whisk it before adding it to the other ingredients (unless i'm using my mixer).  And then any liquids that need to be mixed together, get, you guessed it, whisked together.  The Whisk really is a baker's best friend.

Spelt flour...for the gluten intolerant

My mom, the one who taught me most about baking, has recently been diagnosed with a gluten allergy, or intolerance if you will.  She's not a celiac, so spelt flour in place of all purpose or other wheat flours is acceptable.  Note: spelt flour DOES contain gluten, but it's amounts are almost insignificant in comparison to today's wheat flours.  True celiacs, however, can not have any gluten, so spelt flour is unsuitable for them. 

I've been dabbling with spelt flour in my baking recipes (thanks to the recommendation from my dear friend Betsy) as spelt flour is easier to digest.  It yields a noticeably denser, though moister, product.  I've found a very useful website that focuses on baking with spelt flour and how to alter recipes to use spelt flour in place of wheat based flours.  Go on, have a peek: http://bake-with-spelt.com/ (download the .pdf). 

In my coffee chocolate chip cookie recipe, I have used 1/2 AP flour and 1/2 Spelt flour with fantastic results.  Give spelt flour a whirl and let me know how you like it in your recipes. 

Enjoy!

THE Scones

My most beloved baked good from around the globe is my scone.  I have tried almost every scone recipe out there and perfected it according to my tastes.  I know it by heart and can recite it or jot it down on the spot when it's requested (and it's requested a lot...not that i'm bragging ;)).

Buttermilk, lack of egg, and chilled butter are the key ingredients (or non ingredient, as the case may be).  The scones come out of the oven fluffy, and just beautiful.  Give my recipe a whirl and let me know how you like 'em.

Julie's Fabulous Scones 
Ingredients:
3 C Flour
1/3 C Sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp zest* (optional; lemon, orange, etc. can use fresh peel, or buy the dried peel in the spice aisle)
3/4 C Butter (12 Tbsp) - chilled, unsalted, cut into 1 in. cubes
1 C Buttermilk
1 C Currants or Cranberries, or whatever dried fruit of choice (note: i've had zero luck w/fresh fruit...my batter is always way too mushy; if others have please let me know how you do it)
1/2 - 3/4 C Nuts* (optional)
 

Topping:

1 Tbsp Buttermilk

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

2 Tbsp Sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Have the following ready: mixing bowl, cookie sheet, a cookie sheet size of parchment paper.

1) Whisk the following together in large mixing bowl until blended:

3 C Flour

1/3 C Sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp zest

2) Add in butter and mix with a pastry blender/fork or hands until mixture is crumbly, but don't overmix

3) Add in dried fruit and/or nuts now and then add in Buttermilk.  Mix with your hands until the mixture is barely holding itself together.  It's important to not overmix (should NOT look like cookie dough...should look more like pie dough). 

4) When dough is crumbly, but keeping itself together when you make a fist of dough, place dough onto parchment paper.  Form dough into a ball and pat down into a decent sized circle (whatever preference here for size of scone).  If small scones are desired, form dough into 2 balls and pat down into small circles.

5) Combine the 1 Tbsp Cream or Buttermilk, 1/4 tsp Cinnamon, and 2 Tbsp Sugar together and using a pastry brush, brush the top and sides of dough.

6) Cut dough into 8 triangular scones (slice like a pizza).  Arrange on parchment paper and brush remaining sides w/topping as desired.

7) Bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes

Enjoy!

The BEST chocolate chip cookies...

I've come to the conclusion that no matter the recipe for chocolate chip cookies (mostly), the biggest difference amongst the cookie recipes isn't the ingredients, but the temperature and time they are baked. 

In my experience, the cookie recipes that state 325 degrees for 15-18 minutes (though check at 13) are going to be bricks.  Not that I mind hard cookies one bit, but most of my guests and my main taste testers (i.e. hubby & kids) prefer them soft and chewy.  Any recipe that calls for the above temp and time, change the temp to 375 and yank them out at 9 minutes and tell me what you think.  I bet you'll be more pleased with the texture of your cookie, assuming you like them soft & chewy.

I have two favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes at the moment, one is for simple chocolate chip cookies from Cooks Illustrated, and the other is a coffee chocolate chip cookie from Southern Living.  The recipes are almost exactly the same (probably why I like them). Note that both recipes call for 325 with longer bake times.  Just trust me and turn up the temp to 375 and yank 'em out at 9 minutes (maybe even 8...set the timer for 8 and you be the judge ;)). 

Besides the temperature and baking time called for in the recipes, the only other modifications I made were swapping pecans for walnuts in the coffee chocolate chip cookie recipe, and using 2 tsp of vanilla and 2 Cups of chips in both recipes.  I also use a scooper(?) to scoop my batter into equal sized cookie balls.  I don't bother doing step 3 in the Cooks Illustrated recipe (too much work and not much benefit if you ask me).  I like my cookies relatively uniform in size.

Give 'em a whirl..and even dabble in the temperature/baking time and see what you prefer. 

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Cook's Illustrated) 

Ingredients

• 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (1 1/2 sticks or 3/4 Cup)
• 1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-2 cup chocolate chips (semi or bittersweet)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

2. Either by hand or with electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Stir in chips.

3. Form scant 1/4 cup dough into ball. Holding dough ball using fingertips of both hands, pull into two equal halves. Rotate halves ninety degrees and, with jagged surfaces exposed, join halves together at their base, again forming a single cookie, being careful not to smooth dough’s uneven surface. Place formed dough onto one of two parchment paper-lined 20-by-14-inch lipless cookie sheets, about nine dough balls per sheet. Smaller cookie sheets can be used, but fewer cookies can be baked at one time and baking time may need to be adjusted. (Dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month—shaped or not.).

4. Bake, reversing cookie sheets’ positions halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes (start checking at 13 minutes). (Frozen dough requires an extra 1 to 2 minutes baking time.) Cool cookies on cookie sheets. Serve or store in airtight container.

Heavenly Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg 
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 (11.5-ounce) package semisweet chocolate mega-morsels
• 1 cup walnut halves, toasted

Preparation

1. Combine first 3 ingredients; stir well.
2. Combine butter and coffee granules in a small saucepan or skillet. Cook over medium-low heat until butter melts and coffee granules dissolve, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature (don't let butter resolidify).
3. Combine butter mixture, sugars, egg, and egg yolk in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed of an electric mixer until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in mega-morsels and walnuts.
4. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls 2" apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 325° for 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool slightly on cookie sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Christmas with Southern Living 1997, Oxmoor House
1997