Cinnamon | 20something cupcakes

cinnamon-dark chocolate {whole wheat} pancakes.

May 17, 2012 — 5 Comments

It was a rainy weekend and an even rainier Sunday morning, and I couldn’t imagine getting out of bed for any reason other than pancakes.

Cinnamon-Dark Chocolate Whole Wheat Pancakes

Pancakes are a good bet for a morning like this, when you haven’t yet been to the store, and you definitely aren’t considering getting up and going anytime before noon. You can usually make pancakes with stuff you’ve already got on hand. I like to think of them as “pantry pancakes.”

Sometimes, though, I get bored with basic buttermilk pancakes. Even chocolate chip pancakes or blueberry (easy enough for pantry pancakes if you keep frozen blueberries on hand, which, of course, I do) aren’t always doing it for me.

This recipe was inspired by Deb’s recipe for a chocolate chip-sour cream coffee cake over on Smitten Kitchen. I’m still dreaming about making that coffee cake at some point, but in the meantime, I took the components that were singing to me and I put them right into these healthy-ish pancakes. Cinnamon and chocolate, and buttermilk in lieu of the sour cream.

But, really – it was all about the cinnamon. Now, I know what you’re thinking … cinnamon is hardly an ingredient to get hung up on in a pancake recipe. Don’t, like, all pancakes have cinnamon? Well, some do and some do not, but what I was really falling in love with was the idea of making cinnamon the star of the show.

In Healthy Eats, Weekend Brunch buttermilk, chocolate, cinnamon, i heart breakfast, maple syrup, whole wheat

southern comfort apple pie.

October 30, 2011 — 19 Comments

When you serve a pie, and everyone instantly proclaims it to be the BEST pie they’ve ever eaten, you know you’re onto something.

“Best pie, ever?” I asked. “Like, best apple pie?”

“No. Best pie ever. Any pie. This apple pie is better than any other pie in the world.”

Bold words. Bold words for a bold pie. This is not your grandmother’s apple pie. This apple pie is sexy. Dangerous. This apple pie lives on the edge.

It all starts with a perfectly buttery, flaky crust. The pie dough is easy to work with, which earns extra points in my book. But the Southern Comfort-caramel-super cinnamon-y apple filling is clearly the star of the show. Say it with me: Southern Comfort-caramel-super cinnamon-y apple filling. These are ingredients that clearly belong together. I had to go out and buy a bottle of Southern Comfort, because yes, my college days are over, and I’m not exactly tossing back SoCo lime shots at home on a quiet Friday night – though I do have quite a bit left in the bottle, and a few limes sitting in a bowl on the counter, so I’d be lying if I didn’t see anything happening with that in my near future.

In Sweets + Treats apples, caramel, cinnamon, pies + tarts, project pastry queen, southern comfort, southern recipes

jailhouse potato cinnamon rolls.

September 5, 2010 — 4 Comments

I bet you didn’t know that cinnamon rolls could be made with potatoes.

I didn’t.

Maybe you also didn’t know that there’s sort of a lot of steps involved when it comes to cinnamon rolls. I didn’t. You know, a lot of making the dough, then waiting an hour to rise. Then making the rolls, then waiting another hour to rise. But – if you know that these said steps can turn out cinnamon buns that put Cinnabon to shame – you shouldn’t mind so much.

Seriously, people. I will put these buns up against any. Maybe even your mom’s.

I’m honestly quite surprised they turned out so good. Cinnamon rolls just seem like one of those things destined to eff up. For instance, when I was rolling the dough out on the counter above the dishwasher. The dishwasher was running, and blowing off some steam right into where I was working. Heat doesn’t mix well with dough – just a tip. Stay away from the dishwasher. I made them in two batches, and I walked the other batch over to another counter space to roll out – and I had a much better time.

This was the first time I’ve made dough that I’ve used absolutely no equipment, like mixers or food processors. Rebecca Rather {the author of the cookbook} stated in the beginning of the book that she’s not much of a fan of these kinds of things. She’s old-school, you know? I respect that. When I learned first-hand how much muscle it took to stir up this dough by hand, I really respected it. The gal’s from Texas, baby. She doesn’t mess around.

If you’re still thinking about the fact that there’s a potato in this recipe, allow me to explain why. Actually – there should be potatoes {2} in the recipe if you’re making the full amount. I halved it, because for me, having 12 cinnamon rolls around the house is equally dangerous. If I had 24, there’s no telling what the damage would be.

Now, the reason these are called “jailhouse potato” cinnamon rolls is because Rebecca was originally introduced to the idea from a newspaper clipping sent by a friend for cinnamon rolls made in jail using potatoes. You see, jailbirds need to get creative – they need to find different ways to make things using the ingredients they have. We can all relate to that, right? And from that recipe, Rebecca worked the potato in to develop this recipe. Apparently, yeast loves the starch in the mashed potatoes. They marry, live happier ever after – and you end up with tender, fluffy cinnamon rolls.

This was the very first recipe in the Pastry Queen cookbook, and I’ve got to give it up to Katy for selecting it for this week’s edition of Project Pastry Queen. Be sure to visit her blog, Katy’s Kitchen, for the recipe!

In Weekend Brunch baked goods + pastries, cinnamon, i heart breakfast, my first time making, project pastry queen

Sticky buns are one of those things that just get people excited.

I’ll admit – I feel that way about many breakfast foods, and especially so when we’re talking pastries. Freshly-baked muffins, croissants, scones, coffee cakes, doughnuts…I mean, who’s not with me on this?

Anything involving cinnamon just takes it to the next level – there’s nothing quite like that warm, delicious scent baking in the oven to spice up your morning. These sticky buns in particular are so super-easy because they’re made from frozen puff pastry sheets – no dough-making required. And because you know I’m a fan of everything in moderation, I cut this recipe from 12 sticky buns to 6. I also use Smart Balance butter, and use a little less than the original recipe calls for; trust me – these babies are so rich and buttery, you won’t miss it a bit.

Easy Sticky Buns

Adapted from Ina Garten

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces
1 sheet (1/2 package) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

For the filling:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 4 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in 6 of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 6 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture. This is going to serve as your “sticky” topping; when you flip your buns over at the end, this will be on top.

Now, for the fun part. {It’s the simple things in life, right?} Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2-inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in the 6 muffin cups.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Be careful – they’re hot! Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon) and cool completely.

Yields 6 sticky buns.