Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

EASY HOMEMADE CINNAMON ROLLS
with Coffee Icing

This is the most fail-safe recipe for cinnamon rolls that I've tried yet! I found it years ago on a cinnamon-roll-scented soy candle, and tried it out without knowing whether or not it was a "real" recipe.  It most definitely is!  Preparing these rolls is so easy and split into two stages: you can mix up the dough the night before, and make the cinnamon rolls the next morning.  

• 4 1/4 cups sifted plain flour [often I'll just use plain wholemeal spelt flour]
• 1/3 cup raw caster sugar
• 2 sachets of fast action yeast (slightly under 2 TBS)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
• 2 eggs

Combine 1 cup flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and undissolved yeast. Set aside.  

Heat milk, water, and 1/2 cup butter over low heat until it reaches 120/130F (lukewarm) on a food thermometer, then add to dry ingredients right away and beat for a few minutes.  

Add half a cup of flour and eggs. Beat well; then stir in remaining flour.  

Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or up to two days. Turn onto a floured surface and roll out to a 3"x9"x12" (or thereabouts!) rectangle.  Brush with 3 TBS melted butter, and sprinkle over 1 cup sugar and cinnamon to taste.  Roll dough from the short end and seal seams.  Cut into one-inch slices with a sharp bread knife.  Place 9 slices in each 8" buttered round cake tin.  (Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the rolls at this point, if you like)  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.  

Bake at 375F/190C/gas mark 5 for 20-25 minutes or until done.  Remove from pan, cool, and pour over icing (optional).  

For icing, whisk together about a cup of icing sugar with two tablespoons of fresh strong coffee, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and lace the hot rolls with this tooth-achingly sweet concoction.  If you don't like coffee, use milk.