In the tangzhong method, a small quantity of flour is mixed with milk and cooked until it thickens to form a thick paste. The starch in the flour hydrates, and in the presence of heat, it gelatinizes to form the paste. This mixture is then mixed with the remaining flour and ingredients used to make the bread, and the result is puffier and softer bread. This method works great in cinnamon rolls; I’ve used it since I learned it. The new King Arthur Baking Company cookbook, Baking School, also includes this recipe (and makes an excellent holiday gift for a baker).
5 from 2 reviews 1/2 cup/119 g whole milk 3 Tbsp/23 g unbleached bread flour For the Dough 2/3 cups/159 g whole milk 2 1/2 cups/300 g unbleached bread flour, plus more for dusting 2 Tbsp/25 g granulated sugar 1 tsp fine sea salt 2 tsp instant yeast 4 Tbsp/57 g unsalted butter, softened For the Filling 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus 21 grams (1½ Tbsp) for brushing ½ cup/107 g brown sugar 2 Tbsp unbleached bread flour 3 to 4 tsp/8 to 10 g cinnamon pinch of fine sea salt For the Icing 1½ Tbsp/21 g melted unsalted butter, divided ½ tsp vanilla extract 1½ cups/170 g confectioners’ sugar pinch of fine sea salt 1 to 2 Tbsp/14 to 28 g, milk, enough to thin to desired consistency For the Dough For The Filling For the Assembly and Baking For the Icing Add any of the following to the filling: ½ teaspoon orange zest; ½ cup/85 g mini chocolate chips; 1/2 cup/75 g dried cranberries or raisins; or ½ cup/57 g chopped pecans, walnuts, or nut of your choice. You can also substitute other ground spices for the cinnamon in the filling. We recommend reducing strongly flavored spices, such as nutmeg or ginger, to ½ tsp. Advance Prep Students often ask whether they can shape these rolls the night before, then bake them the next morning. Because of the tangzhong method, we recommend making and baking the rolls in advance, since they’ll stay wonderfully soft for at least 3 days (you can bake them up to several days in advance, then store tightly wrapped and uniced at room temperature). When ready to serve, lightly cover the rolls with foil and warm them in a 300F/150C C oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until warmed through. Ice and enjoy. We guarantee they’ll be just as delicious as those that were freshly baked. Cream Cheese Icing Omit the milk and use 4 to 6 Tbsp/57 to 90 g softened cream cheese. The softer the cream cheese, the easier it will be to incorporate. If the icing is too thick to spread easily, add milk (1 tsp at a time) to get the consistency you want.
Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Δ
