Thursday, November 17, 2011

Swirly Twisted Roll Tutorial

Sweet rolls are so freaky fun! I adore making shapes with them that people don't see all the time and this is one of them. It's basically an S-curve cinnamon roll (if you use cinnamon) but it can also be a thousand other flavors! Imagine using micro-orange or lemon zest and having citrus rolls. A thin layer of jam to make it a strawberry, raspberry or blueberry roll. What about lemon pie filling or some marzipan, poppy seed filling or nuts? Do you see where I'm going? Good! Be creative with these!  Try something new. This is why I developed the 5 day Sweet Roll Dough.   Use it for any slightly sweet dinner or dessert roll.
To make the Swirly Twist Rolls, take 1/5 of the  5 day Sweet Roll Dough out of the fridge. Roll it out in a rectangle on a lightly floured table or counter top. Smear with a thin layer of jam, flavored honey, or butter. I would be amiss if I didn't say that my secret to really good sweet rolls is using my Wise Woman of The East Spice Blend for a totally unique and magnificent flavor. My biggest advice is to not over-fill. Use a light layer of the sweet stuff so that your rolls will hold together. If you go too heavy, it will be a gooey mess. Too much goo is also the first reason rolls stick to the pan or burn. The sugars just overpower the rest of the kingdom. Dang sugar.
Instead of rolling it all the way through the length, roll it like a scroll. My dough is pretty tender. I like it that way. It makes really soft rolls. Be gentle with it. Remember it has a good heart and good intentions.
When you slice it, like so, it will look like this.
Cut it into 1 inch slices. Pick up the slice and twist it once and transfer to a lightly oiled pan or one lined with parchment paper. Give them an inch and a half or more between rolls.
Allow it to raise, uncovered, for about an hour.  It should be very fluffy. Bake in a 350 degree oven 20-25 minutes. You can drizzle them with icing or white chocolate. Feel free. I left them naked today.
There you go! A twisted roll. Imagine the possibilities! Go crazy. I want to see what you come up with!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

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