Cinnamon Rolls with Chocolate Chips

Hmmm.... Cinnamon rolls, who doesn't like them?

These soft bun/rolls with the sweetness from brown sugar and with rich ground cinnamon flavour smell and taste just as good!

I made these rolls two years ago and thought that it took too much time and too much work.  But I like soft buns, my kids like soft buns, and where we came from, most of us eats soft buns.  My kids and I don't really fancy the German's Brötchen - small buns that are soft inside but hard and crispy outside.  So I had decided to give this recipe another go.  Thinking that if this went well, I will make more bread and bun in the future.

Surprisingly, it was not too much work at all.  The original recipe call for keeping the dough in the fridge for 4 hours but instead I just leave it in room temperature to rise for 1 1/2 hours.  And I only kneaded it once.  I've made a little twist by adding some chocolate chips too, so let's start making some!


Ingredients:
160g all purpose flour
30g cold butter
15g butter, melted
60ml milk, room temperature
1 tbsp warm water (40 degree C)
1 tbsp + 2 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
Some chocolate chips (optional)

Method:
1.  In a little bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, cover and set aside.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and salt.  Using finger tips rub the cold butter with flour mixture until crumbly.  Add in milk, yeast mixture, egg yolk and stir well.  On a lightly floured surface, knead for about 1 minute.   Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, keep in a warm place to let it rise for at least 1 1/2 hours.  Then gently punch the dough once to release the air.

3.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into 25 x 15cm rectangle.  Brush the edges with butter (to seal the edges).
Mix the 2 tablespoons white sugar, dark brown sugar and ground cinnamon together and sprinkle over dough.  Top with chocolate chips.

4.  Roll up the dough like a Swiss roll cake.  Cut into eight pieces.  Place them in a greased 19cm square baking dish(a round dish also works fine).  Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours.

5.  Bake at 180 degree C for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Note:  My kids and I enjoy eating them without any glaze.  Also I find it healthier without it.  :-)