Whole Wheat Cinnamon Bun Recipe
Try these sweets for your sweetie this Valentine's Day! A study from the late 1990s showed the scent of baking cinnamon buns to be one of the most stimulating aromas for men - and don't they say the way to his heart is through his stomach? With a high-fibre punch, even your buff babe won't be able to resist.
1 cup milk¼ cup honey
¼ cup butter
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
2 eggs
1 tsp sugar
½ cup warm water
1 Tbsp dry active yeast
1 Tbsp wheat gluten
5-6 cups whole wheat flour
Filling:
1 cup melted butter
¾ cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
Icing:
¼ cup melted butter
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup milk
2 cups icing sugar
In a small saucepan or microwave-proof bowl, heat milk until nearly boiling. Stir in honey, butter, salt and flaxseed, then allow to cool. Beat in eggs with a fork.
In a large bowl, combine sugar and warm water. Sprinkle in yeast and allow to sit until dissolved and bubbly (about 15 minutes). Stir in the milk mixture.
Add wheat gluten, then the flour one cup at a time. Stir mixture thoroughly with each addition of flour. The forming dough will soon become difficult to stir: use your dough hook mixer attachment or knead by hand. The precise measure of flour is not important (too little is better than too much) - the texture is. The dough should be soft like a baby's bottom and not sticky. On a lightly floured surface, hand knead dough for a few minutes to ensure uniform texture. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1½-2 hours).
Later, punch down the dough to remove the air bubbles, then set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Prepare the filling in a small bowl. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle, about ½-inch thick. With a pastry brush or spoon, spread butter mixture evenly over the entire surface of the dough. With the long side of the rectangle facing you, roll dough up like a jelly roll and pinch along the seam to seal.
Cut the dough into 3-inch pieces using string (or dental floss!) - to avoid accidental squishing - or a knife and place pieces in a parchment paper-lined 9x13 baking pan, leaving an inch or so around each to allow for rising.
Cover rolls with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1-2 hours. Bake at 300F for 45-50 minutes, or until buns sound hollow when tapped.
While allowing the buns to cool, prepare icing by mixing in the ingredients using the order given. Add icing sugar gradually to control your desired texture. Drizzle or spread icing over your warm buns and serve.
Tips:
*Want your buns fresh for breakfast? Once your cinnamon pieces are placed in the prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Ready to bake in the morning!
*Increase the amount of filling for extra gooey buns
*Gluten flour can be found at most bulk or health food stores. If you can't find it, substitute one cup of whole wheat flour with one cup of all-purpose (white) flour. Whole wheat flour used alone will yield a heavy, overly yeasty taste to this recipe.
*Add ¾ cup raisins to the hot milk mixture, if desired
*Most sweet breads should be baked at low temperature to ensure the inside is evenly baked. If your cinnamon buns sink 10-15 minutes after removing from the oven, they are undercooked. You can return them to the oven to finish baking, but they will not recover their fluffy shape.
by Pam Derksen
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