Cinnamon and caramel rolls seem to be everywhere these days, or at least photos of them are. The gooey texture is both photogenic and irresistible. I often see these well-known breakfast rolls prominently displayed on large white plates or cake stands at cafés around New York City. I almost always have to buy one. A version of my own was long overdue yet perfectly timed with the Holidays.

The base of this recipe came from the “The James Beard Cookbook,” by James Beard but the inspiration came from two very different sources: a nostalgic Christmas memory and a popular babka bakery in New York City. Growing up in a cozy Minneapolis neighborhood, our neighbors exchanged small gifts (usually of homemade goodies) every Christmas. My family looked forward to the plate of Caramel Rolls that was routinely included in these gifts every year. Each roll was always the perfect size, not too big nor too small, with just the right amount of caramel. We would save them for breakfast on Christmas morning.

The addition of poppy seeds to this nostalgic replication was inspired by Breads Bakery, one of my favorite bakeries in New York City. They are known for many delicious breads and pastries but their chocolate Babka is particularly impressive (they even ship it nationwide!). The deep chocolate swirls remind me of black poppy seeds and inspired me to combine them into this indulgent sweet bready treat.

These delectable rolls can also be made plain, without poppy seeds, for a classic version. However, those of us who love poppy seeds, will enjoy the light crunch and texture that the spattering of poppy seeds provides. These caramel rolls may be different from those that I looked forward to every Christmas as a child, but they are better than what I find at most cafes here in the city. They just might make it on the table with the holiday desserts this year (as well as for breakfast, of course).

Ingredients:

2 (1 1/2 tablespoons) packages active dry yeast
2 cups lukewarm milk
1 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon salt
5-6 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Topping
4 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 brown sugar
cinnamon and poppy seeds for sprinkling

Mix the yeast in a large bowl with ½ cup of the warm milk, honey, and sugar. Let stand a few minutes to proof. Melt butter in remaining milk and add the salt. Combine with the yeast mixture.

Add the flour a cup at a time and stir it in with a wooden spoon. Continue mixing until dough is thoroughly blended. If you are using an electric mixer with a dough hook, knead at slow speed for 3-4 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, until dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If kneading by hand, turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead until dough is very soft, smooth, and elastic. Transfer to a well-buttered bowl and allow to rise in a warm spot until double in bulk (around 1-2 hours).

While dough rises, grease bottom and sides of a 9 inch round cake pan or 8 inch square baking pan. Mix Melt 4 tablespoons of melted butter with ¾ cup brown sugar. Pour into prepared pan.

Punch down dough and turn out on a lightly floured surface. Roll out with a rolling pin into a rectangle, about ½ inch thick. Spread with softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and poppy seeds.  Roll up and cut the roll into 1 – 1 ½ inch slices. Arrange slices in the prepared pan.  Cover and let rise 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt tablespoon. Brush the rolls with the butter and sprinkle with poppy seeds and cinnamon. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly then run a butter knife along the sides of the pan to release the rolls. Place a serving plate on top of the rolls and while holding the bottom of the baking pan, flip upside down onto the serving plate so that the bottoms of the rolls are facing up and the caramel sauce covers them.

Yield 9 large rolls or 18 small rolls.

As the winter drags on, there’s nothing like warm cinnamon raisin bread with a buttery streusel topping to start the weekend. It’s surprising that I just discovered this recipe in “The Art of Fine Baking.” I usually never miss a good recipe that involves cinnamon and sugar. In this case, the cinnamon and sugar is layered within the bread and the streusel topping becomes arguably the best part. The simple combination of butter, flour, cinnamon sugar, and walnuts create the crumbly topping that I’m now tempted to use on all many other types of baked goods.

There’s something relaxing about making yeast breads from scratch. Kneading the dough to that perfect smooth springy texture is a soothing process. I have used this basic coffee cake dough in other tasty recipes such as Apple Roll, Honey Orange Bread Twist, and even Panettone. It’s a good base recipe but like most yeast breads, it tends to go stale in just a few short days. The best solution for this is to make French toast or bread pudding out of the leftovers. It’s indulgent, I know, but this nutty cinnamon sugar bread with its buttery streusel topping may change how you feel about regular French toast or bread pudding forever.

Ingredients:

1 recipe Basic Coffee Cake Dough
1/3 cup melted butter
2/3 cup cinnamon sugar (see note)
2/3 cup raisins
1 cup finely crushed pecans (walnuts may be substituted)

Streusel Topping
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1-1 1/2 cups flour

To make streusel topping: Cream butter and cinnamon sugar. Add vanilla and nuts. Add flour, gradually stirring constantly. Use enough flour to make a crumbly mixture. The more flour added, the smaller the crumbs. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease to 9x5x3 loaf pans. Roll dough in large square, 1/4 inch thick. Brush with most of the melted butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, raisins,  and crushed pecans. Roll up jelly roll style.

Cut roll evenly into six slices. Fit three slices cut side flat into each pan, squeezing them if necessary. Press slices down in pan so that in rising, they will grow together. Let rise until almost doubled in bulk. Scatter streusel topping generously over each cake. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes or until streusel tops are lightly browned.

Makes two loaves.

Note: Cinnamon Sugar can be made by simply combining 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon.

Adapted from “The Art of Find Baking,” by Paula Peck.

Adapted from “The Art of Fine Baking”

1 recipe coffee cake dough (see below)
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups peeled, cored, coursely chopped apples (I like honeycrisp)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup cinnamon sugar (see note)
1 egg mixed with
1 tablespoon milk

Coffee Cake Dough
2 packages of yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
3 egg yokes or 2 whole eggs
2 – 3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted soft butter

Make coffee cake dough:

Combine yeast with milk, sugar, salt, lemon, and vanilla in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Allow to sit and foam up a minute. Mix in eggs. Add flour – enough to make a medium soft dough. Work in soft butter. Kneed in bowl or on table for 10 min. adding more flour if necessary. Dough has been kneeded enough when it is shiny and elastic and possibly has small blisters on the surface. Place in bowl dust top lightly with flour. Cover bowl with a towel and place in a draft free warm place (sometimes I flip the oven on its lowest setting for a minute, turn it off, and place dough in oven) to rise 45 minutes. Dough should almost double in size.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan.

Mix chopped apples with 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar.

Punch down dough and roll into a large square or oval shape about 1/4 inch thick. Brush with melted butter. Scatter chopped apples over dough. Sprinkle with raisins. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (reserving about 1 tablespoon for later).

Roll dough up jelly-roll style. Fit into loaf pan.

Let rise until dough has almost doubled. Brush with egg mixture and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of cinnamon sugar.

Bake in preheated oven about 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 1 loaf

Note: Cinnamon Sugar can be made by simply combining 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon.