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Sally Lunn Cinnamon Buns

Sally Lunn Cinnamon Buns

Shirl Gard
Cinnamon Rolls, Cinnamon Buns, Cinnabon® rolls: give me anything that includes a piece of dough rolled around a filling with lots of cinnamon and baked, then topped off with a thin film of icing. That's just what this recipe delivers. Using Sally Lunn Basic Dough, (see separate recipe) a very versatile brioche-like dough, makes these extra special. Plan ahead because the dough for these needs to be made the day before and refrigerated overnight. It is important to have cold dough to work with when rolling out the dough, filling, and cutting the buns. I like these Cinnamon Buns so much that I usually make two batches of the dough at one time. Each recipe yields 12 buns: some to eat now and some to freeze for later. Since I only have two giant muffin pans, I bake one batch the next day after making the dough, and another batch the following day.

YIELD: 12 LARGE BUNS - ABOUT 115g (4 OZ) EACH
TWO 6-CUP GIANT MUFFIN PANS

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Ingredients
  


  • DOUGH:
  • 1110 grams Sally Lunn Basic Dough 2# 7 oz - Chilled overnight in the refrigerator
  • - Make one recipe Sally Lunn Basic Dough - see separate recipe

  • CINNAMON BUN FILLING:
  • Combine all ingredients and rub between your hands until evenly mixed to a sandy texture.

  • 30 grams unsalted butter softened (2 Tablespoons)
  • 180 grams light brown sugar 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons
  • 15 grams ground cinnamon - I like the Penzeys Cinnamon blend for these buns 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
  • 15 grams unbleached all-purpose flour 1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons
  • 40 grams pecans - toasted and finely chopped 1/3 cup

  • 280 grams = Total Filling 10 oz
  • 1390 grams = Total Recipe 49 oz 3# 1 oz

  • EGG WASH:
  • 1 egg + 1 yolk + 1 Tablespoon heavy cream 15g + pinch of salt. Whisk together.

  • CINNAMON BUN GLAZE:
  • Warn the milk vanilla bean paste, and corn syrup in small sauce pan. Pour into sugar and whisk until smooth. Use on warm buns.

  • 90 grams whole milk 1/3 cup + 2 teaspoons
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste 4g (or 1/2 vanilla bean, split & seeded)
  • 20 grams light corn syrup 1 Tablespoon
  • 300 grams confectioners sugar sifted (2 1/2 cups)

  • 410 grams = Total 14 1/2 oz

Instructions
 

  • PREP two giant muffin pans: spray with Pam (with flour). Do this even if your pans are non-stick. Place the muffin pans on half-sheet pans.
  • REMOVE cold Sally Lunn Basic Dough from the refrigerator and press into an 8" x 8" (20 cm x 20 cm) square block, about 1" thick.
  • SPRINKLE flour over the counter and roll out dough to an 18" x 18" (45 cm x 45 cm) square.
  • BRUSH egg wash over the dough.
  • SCATTER the Cinnamon Bun Filling over the egg wash and spread evenly, leaving a 1/2" border with no filling at the top edge.
  • ROLL UP, rolling away from you, into a log. Seal the edges of the roll at the top where there is no filling.
  • CUT into 12 - 1 1/2" (3.75 cm) slices with a serrated bread knife, using a gentle sawing motion, to prevent crushing the slices. Place slices in muffin pans, cut side up.
  • PROOF (let rise) in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, covered loosely with plastic wrap (sprayed with Pam), until the buns rise, just barely, above the top of the pans.
  • PRE-HEAT the oven to 375° F (190° C) while the buns are proofing. Turn the oven down to 350° F (175° C) when the buns go in the oven.
  • BAKE @ 350° F (175° C) 22 - 25 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 205° F (96° C).
  • COOL 10 minutes in the pans, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling. (Or, move the buns to the top of the muffin pan to finish cooling.)
  • TO GLAZE THE BUNS: If serving all of the buns right away, spoon Cinnamon Bun Glaze over the buns while on a rack and still slightly warm.
  • IF FREEZING THE BUNS: Don't glaze now; wait until the buns are thawed and warmed up, then glaze when ready to serve.
  • THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT USING THIS GLAZE: Always apply the glaze right before serving. Drizzle over slightly warm, not hot, buns. The nice thing about this glaze recipe is that you can keep a container of it in the refrigerator or freezer and spoon out as needed; just stir well first. It does not set up hard when cold because there is no butter in the recipe. DO NOT put glazed buns in the oven; this ruins the glaze.

Notes

Design of Sally Lunn Cinnamon Buns by Shirl Gard. Sally Lunn Basic Dough adapted from The Fanny Farmer Baking Book by Marion Cunningham (1984). The Cinnamon Bun Filling and Glaze recipes adapted from Ciril Hitz: Baking Artisan Pastries & Breads (2009).
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