After making and tasting dozens of varieties over the course of my career as a baker, I’ve pretty much accepted that cinnamon rolls, like scones and madeleines, are only delicious when eaten straight from the oven. Rolls that are soft, moist, and delicious when warm become brittle, dry, and lifeless in just a few hours at room temperature.
However, I was convinced that with all the techniques available to create a soft, supple dough texture, cinnamon rolls with a longer shelf life would be possible.
I set out to develop a product that not only retained most of its moisture and softness after cooling, but also had a unique, classic-looking swirl and a traditional cream cheese icing that wasn’t too sweet.
To achieve the pillowy texture I was looking for, I used an old-fashioned technique that helps develop more gluten in a dense dough (like the kind used to make cinnamon rolls), viz. I turned to heating milk. “Boiling” refers to heating milk to just below boiling point and maintaining this temperature until certain proteins denature. Without boiling water, these same proteins can inhibit the production of gluten (the stretchy chains that give bread its elasticity and chewiness), causing the dough to lose its structure and elasticity. It may seem counterintuitive, but here we develop large amounts of gluten because it traps gases produced by yeast, creating a light, fluffy texture in finished baked goods. is actually important.
Next, they added “tanjong”, a cooked roux-like mixture of flour and milk, to extend the shelf life and increase the moisture and softness of the dough. Used to create a pillowy texture in many Asian breads such as Japanese milk bread, tangjong increases the moisture retention capacity of the dough, making baked rolls fluffier, more elastic, and less dry. Make it difficult. It also has a satisfying pull-apart texture, so thin, silky strands of dough fly away when you tear it apart.
You will need a stand mixer to make the dough. Due to the high proportion of liquid, it is a bit too sticky to work with by hand. Resist the urge to speed things up, though, as slow mixing forms a stronger gluten network. After that, let the dough cool for a long time in the refrigerator. This improves the flavor and allows the flour to absorb more liquid ingredients, making it less sticky and easier to handle when rolling or stuffing.
I wanted to get a nice solid cinnamon swirl, but I didn’t want to achieve that by just adding a ton of cinnamon sugar. This will definitely make the buns too sweet. The answer was to add finely crushed speculoos cookies. This is because it provides bulk without adding a ton of sugar and gives it a lightly spiced, molasses-like flavor. If you can’t find speculoos cookies, crunchy wafer-like gingersnaps or graham crackers also work.
Cover the rolls with aluminum foil during the first half of baking to prevent moisture loss in the oven. This traps the steam and keeps the buns flexible for maximum rise during baking. If possible, try baking in a light-colored metal pan, as this will give a more even result than baking in glass. The finishing touch is vanilla-flavored cream cheese icing to lock in even more moisture.
The rolls will eventually dry out, but thanks to some key techniques and materials, they can be left uncovered for an entire day with minimal damage. Make it in advance if necessary. However, it is best to serve it as soon as possible after baking. If it’s still very tasty when you sit down, think about how warm it will be.