Cinnamon Rolls

Today we bring you a recipe that will quickly become the favorite sweet at breakfast time: cinnamon and raisin rolls. This is not just any recipe for these rolls, this one is loaded with sugar syrup, which makes them as sticky as they are delicious.

The truth is you will often find recipes for these rolls based on butter and milk, but we have chosen a recipe that is very easy to make, based on flour, water, salt and sugar.

What it does require is some patience, because it’s worth kneading well to achieve the desired dough texture. You’ll see the results are worth it and, as we said, remember to add the syrup generously, so it becomes one of those juicy and completely irresistible.

Le Creuset round cocotte and Le Creuset ceramic ramekin.

Ingredients (for 6 people)

• 500gr bread flour
• 15gr salt
• 15gr sugar
• 10gr dry yeast
• 300ml warm water

For the syrup:

• 220gr sugar
• 100ml water

For the filling:

• 15gr cinnamon
• 45gr brown sugar
• 65gr raisins

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Mix all the ingredients and make a well in the center to add the water.
3. Pour 270ml water and mix it with a spatula or a bench scraper and when everything is well combined place the dough on a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes and knead again for 2 or 3 more minutes; let rest again 10 minutes and knead again. You should achieve a dough soft, smooth and elastic. If you see you lack water you can add the remaining 30ml, or try adding a little more flour if you see it is very sticky.
4. If you have a stand mixer (type Kitchen Aid stand mixer), you know this task becomes easy: let the machine knead during the different intervals explained above at medium-high speed with the hook attachment.
5. When the dough is ready, place it in a greased container, cover it with a cotton cloth and let it rest for about 30 minutes in a warm place (you can preheat the oven to 50º while you prepare the dough, and when it’s time to let it rest put it inside turning the oven off).
6. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup: put the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. When it is boiling, stop it and you will see you have obtained a liquid, dense, transparent mixture. This is the mixture that will make your rolls a sinfully sweet and sticky treat!
7. Let’s make the rolls: on a lightly floured surface, lay out the dough and roll it into a rectangle one and a half centimeters thick.
8. Brush the surface with the prepared syrup. In a small bowl or a glass mix the sugar and cinnamon and then sprinkle it over the dough with the help of a spoon, making sure the entire surface is covered with the brown color of that mixture. Spread the raisins evenly over the surface as well.
9. Fold the dough, folding the long side of the rectangle over the other half, and carefully roll the dough into a spiral (obtaining an elongated cylinder).
10. Preheat the oven to 210ºC and brush the casserole Le Creuset round cocotte with oil and sprinkle a little flour.
11. Cut the cylinder you made earlier into spirals 1.5cm thick (help yourself with a bench scraper, you'll see it's the best way). Start placing the cuts you make in the casserole, laying them on their side so that the folds with the sugar and cinnamon are visible from above.
12. Brush the surface again with the syrup and sprinkle a little brown sugar and cinnamon.
13. Place the casserole in the oven, and lower the temperature to 180ºC. Bake with the lid on for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and bake 10 minutes more. You can monitor the cooking without opening the oven, until you see them golden and cooked through.
14. Remove from the oven and brush generously again with the syrup. Let it cool and serve (you can cut with a knife directly in the casserole, you won't scratch it).