Prize-Winning Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

This is (no, really) a prize-winning recipe I made up myself. Okay, I frankensteined it together from about 15 other recipes, but the end result was all me. Please note, this recipe is VERY time-consuming. VERY. I only make it any more for special occasions because it takes about 4.5 hours start to finish and I almost never have that much time in a block.

However, this Thanksgiving, I wanted to do something special for breakfast (that we didn't actually eat until 3 pm), so when we got up on Thanksgiving morning, I started my world-famous coffee cake.

The recipe calls for pecans, which I was out of, so I substituted coconut. However, if you don't like either, you can just as easily leave the "lumps" out or substitute your own (raisins, mini chocolate chips, etc).

On a scale of 1 to 10, this recipe apparently clocked in at an 11 with Rob. (I told you it was good). I loved it too, although the pecans would have made it even better. I'm not including cost on this, because all the ingredients were already in my pantry and I don't recall specific prices on all of it. I'd say around $5 though.

INGREDIENTS:
DOUGH
1 package active dry yeast
3 tablespoons warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (can use up to 3 1/4 cups)
FILLING
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
ICING
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS:
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, eggs, sugar, salt and 1 1/2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, at least 1 hour.

Punch dough downl turn onto floured surface. Roll into 24x8 rectangle. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread over rectangle to within 1/2 inch of long edges. Sprinkle with pecans. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with the long side; pinch seam to seal.

Place roll seam side down on large greased cookie sheet and, using sharp knife, cut completely in half long-ways. Place cut sides up; gently twist two pieces together to form a "rope". Pull ends together and pinch to form a ring.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, at least 30 minutes. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire rack to cool. Combine icing ingredients; drizzle over coffee cake. Best eaten while still warm, but may be frozen for up to two months.

Monkey Bread

REVIEW:

Not the monkey bread I remembered. The "caramelized" topping wasn't the right taste for my tastebuds. Honestly, I think I'd like it better if there hadn't been any topping at all involved (although I'm not sure it would've stuck together so well. I'm gonna look for another recipe. DH ... loved it and wants me to make it again.

COST: $2.60

Three cans of buttermilk biscuits - $1.18 total - Walmart

1 Cup Cinnamon-Sugar - approximately $0.50 (ingredients already in pantry)

1 Cup Brown Sugar - approximately $0.50 (already in pantry)

1 Stick Butter - $0.42

INGREDIENTS:
3 cans buttermilk biscuits (I used Pillsbury 50-cal biscuits)
1 cup cinnamon-sugar (1 cup white sugar, 1 tablespoon or more cinnamon)
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter

DIRECTIONS:
Cut biscuits into 4 pieces each. Roll each piece in cinnamon sugar (or put into ziploc bag and shake to coat). Put into bundt or angel food pan. Cook brown sugar and butter until caramelized. Pour over biscuits. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

White Batter Bread

I've never made a batter bread before this one - so I wasn't sure what to expect. It turned out great, though! Dense and sweet with just the right amount of yeastiness. Rob loved it and I can't wait to make it again! The only catch is that I forgot to spray the tube part of the tube pan with baker's joy before baking and the middle part of the bread stuck a little. Oops. :)

Ingredients:

1 package active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 cup warm milk

1/2 cup butter or margarine (I used butter) softened

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

3 eggs

5 1/2 - 6 cups all purpose flour

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, sugar, salt, eggs and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth (I used the paddle attachment to my KA). Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (meaning that it sticks to itself, but is still sticking to the sides of the pan as well). Do not knead. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (1 hour).

Stir the dough down. Spoon into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Cover and let rise until doubled - another hour. Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Mine went 25 minutes exactly. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cool completely.

Honey Oat Bread

I made this a few weeks ago for Rob. He loved it, I loved it. It makes a hearty, dense loaf that's perfect with stews and gravies. Or plain. Or warmed up with a little butter. Or ...

Ingredients:
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2 packages active dry yeast
1 tablespoon salt
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
3 (or so) cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour, oats, yeast, and salt. In a saucepan, heat water, honey, and butter to 120-130 deg. Add to dry ingredients; beat until blended. Beat in egg until smooth. Stir in enough all-purpose flour to form a stiff dough.

Turn onto a floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled - about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into loaves. Place on two greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubles, about 30 minutes.

With a sharp knife, make several shallow x-shaped cuts across top of each loaf. Sprinkle with additional oats if desired. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until browned. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

(I find this works really well if I use my pizza stone instead of cookie sheets)