Guest: Bailey Cates and Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

I (Wendy) am patting myself on the back right now ... I can't believe I landed Bailey Cates for a guest spot.  And then she produces this recipe.  Yowza.  Join me in welcoming Bailey to the Kitchen, and then prepare to drool ...

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Thanks for inviting me to share a recipe here on Mystery Lovers Kitchen, Wendy!

Before the title for Brownies and Broomsticks was finalized my editor and I talked about calling the first Magical Bakery Mystery Brioche and Broomsticks. Oh, how I love brioche! Rich, buttery, lovely stuff. I don’t own any brioche pans, though, since they can’t really be used for anything else, and it bakes up just fine in a regular loaf pan. Even better? Use the dough to make cinnamon rolls!

This recipe calls for duck eggs. Quack! They’re quite large and add wonderful richness to baked goods. But if you don’t know any duck farmers or they aren’t offered at your farmers market good old chicken eggs work just fine. Also, I’m a bit of a purist and don’t put nuts or raisins in my cinnamon rolls, but if that’s the way you roll just sprinkle your additions over the central filling.

Since this is a no-knead dough it’s best to make the dough a day ahead and let it sit in the fridge overnight.

Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

For the dough:

¾ cup lukewarm water

¾ Tablespoon yeast (1 packet)

¾ Tablespoon Kosher salt

3 duck eggs (or 4 chicken eggs) slightly beaten

1/3 cup honey

¾ cup butter, melted

3 ¾ cups all purpose flour

For the filling:

1/3 cup butter, softened

¼ cup sugar

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon (I use more)

For the glaze:

¼ cup butter softened

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup brown sugar

In a large bowl mix the water, yeast and salt. Allow to sit for a few minutes then mix in the eggs, honey and butter. Add the flour all at once and mix with the other ingredients just until blended. I’m afraid using your hands is the best way. Don’t over mix. Don’t knead. And there will be some lumps when you’re done.

Lightly cover and allow the dough to sit on the counter for two or three hours – it will double in size. When the top has flattened, cover the bowl and leave overnight – or up to a week – in the refrigerator. You don’t have to punch it down first.

When you’re ready to make your rolls, generously flour your work surface, your hands, the dough, and a rolling pin. Roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thickness in a rough rectangle – about 12x15 inches. I usually do this on a piece of parchment paper because it’s easier to roll the dough into a log to slice. Mix the butter, sugar and cinnamon and spread over the dough, then roll from the short side so you have a roll about 12 inches long. The brioche dough is rather sticky, so you may have to use a dough scraper if you didn’t use parchment paper. Slice the roll into 8 (or 10, depending on how large you want the end product) equal pieces with a sharp serrated knife.

Mix together the butter, cinnamon and brown sugar for the glaze and spread in the bottom of a 9x12 baking pan (I use a large round cake pan). Place the rolls cut side down on the brown sugar mixture and allow to rest/rise for 1 hour. Then bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown and done in the middle.

Invert the rolls onto a plate immediately after you remove them from the oven or the brown sugar glaze will harden and the rolls will stick in the pan.

These are already crazy decadent, of course, but you can mix up an additional thin glaze of confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract and a little water to dribble over the warm rolls.

And regarding the brownies in the final title of Brownies and Broomsticks? You can find the recipe for Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies in the back of the book!

Thanks again, Wendy. Enjoy!

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Bailey Cates writes the Magical Bakery Mysteries. They feature new witch and baker Katie Lightfoot and are set in Savannah, Georgia. The first in the series, Brownies and Broomsticks, released this month in paperback and ebook formats from NAL/Penguin. She also writes the Home Crafting Mystery Series as Cricket McRae. The sixth in the series, Deadly Row to Hoe, will release this November from Midnight Ink/Llewellyn.

For more information, please visit her website www.cricketmcrae.com or check out her blogs at www.hearthcricket.com and www.baileycates.com. You can also find her on Twitter: @cricketmcrae and @writerbailey and on Facebook as Cricket McRae and as Author Bailey Cates.