Cinnamon Roll Bun

A must try recipe for those with a sweet tooth.This can be eaten at breakfast or tea time.I have introduced two additional ingredients : jaggery and cardamom to the traditional cinnamon roll bun recipe .The combination of cinnamon , cardamom and jaggery does wonders for your tastebuds.And the sweet aroma of these yummy delights will make you ask for more.Best when eaten warm  alongside a cup of tea

The rich flavours of jaggery,cinnamon and cardamon

For the dough 
ingredients.

4 cups all-purpose flour
 1 tablespoon active yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon milk powder
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup raisins

Method for making dough

In a large bowl combine the flour, yeast, milk powder,sugar ,salt,  melted butter and the warm water and stir well to combine.knead it well with an electric mixer.When the dough has pulled together, scoop it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic,
Slightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and  cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size about 1 & 1/2 hours.

 Preparing the baking tray ( line the tray with aluminium foil for easy cleaning)

For the base
(Ingredients)
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup jaggery ( scrapped and melted in the microwave ( 30 secs)
2 tablespoons  cinnamon powder
1 tablespoon cardamom powder


In a pan, melt 3/4 cup butter in medium heat. Turn off heat. Stir in 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup melted jaggery ,cardamom powder,cinnamon powder whisking until smooth  Pour it evenly  into greased 9x13 inch baking tray. Set aside.

The baking tray lined with aluminium foil and the jaggery- cinnamon mixture

For the cinnamon roll filling.
(Ingredients)
3/4 cup brown sugar
 2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cardamon powder
1/4 cup melted butter
Method for the filling-
Melt butter; set aside. Combine 3/4 cup brown sugar,, and mix cinnamon/cardamon powder and  set aside.

Preparation for baking

 Gently deflate the dough ( remember?? Which was kept to rise in a warm place ) and onto a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough  into an 18x14 inch rectangle.
(Herein  make use of the cinnamon roll  filling ingredients )
Brush the rolled out  dough with 2 tablespoons melted butter, press the raisins firmly on the dough. sprinkle with brown sugar ,cinnamon and cardamon powder. Tightly roll up the dough, pinching seam to seal. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons butter.Cut the roll into 15 pieces; and arrange the pieces in the prepared baking tray. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Bake in preheated oven for 25  minutes, until golden brown. Invert into a serving dish  whilst still warm.  

   

Press the Raisins firmly into the rolled out dough

Brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar,cinnamon and cardamom

Roll the dough

The cinnamon rolls kept in warm place to double in size

Just out of the oven

Invert the baking tray onto a serving platter 

Indulge in the most delicious and goey buns

Mock Cheese Cake

Sometimes in the spur of the moment I tend to make something out of the ordinary.When I  create a new recipe ,I usually eyeball the ingredients and the dish emerges as the best I could have ever made.Lately   I have been playing around with custard powder inventing  new desserts which at the beginning became a total disaster but then with a lot of trial and error ,I learnt to use and balance the correct amount of ingredients  to make something  interesting.

I made custard pudding using fresh mangoes and apples , instead of the usual  pudding dish i used a  springform tray to set the pudding in .And what a transformation the springform tray did to my pudding.It had the typical  look of a cheese cake and anyone looking at it would think I had made cheesecake .At least a mock cheese cake to devour on a breezy afternoon.

For a thick  custard pudding ( my mock cheese cake)

1 litre milk

1 cup custard powder

1/2 tin condensed milk

1 small apple grated

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 cup sugar or to taste

1 tsp vanilla essense

A little less than a cup of water

For the pudding base

Tea biscuits to fill a springform baking tray ( single layer)

Hot coffee to dip biscuits ( not to soak)

1 tablespoon sugar

For the topping

2 big juicy mangoes

1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation

Step 1- Dip the tea biscuits in hot coffee and in a single layer fill the springform tray.keep aside .

Step 2 -Make a thick paste of the custard powder using water.set aside.In a heavy bottom pan,add the milk,condensed milk,sugar and the custard paste and cook till it thickens.Then add the grated apple,lemon zest and the vanilla essense and stir it continuously till the the custard is very thick (the custard should not be creamy but very thick consistency) . Pour the custard into the springform tray and evenly level  it with the help of a spatula .Keep it aside to cool and then refrigerate  to chill.

Step 3 - With your  handy manual  kitchen grater ,grate the mangoes.It will have a kind of pureed consistency . Mix into it 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Remove chilled custard pudding from refrigerator and top it with the fresh  mango puree and refrigerate again for a couple of hours.

To serve, carefully remove the  top part of springform tray  ,place the pudding  on a serving platter with the bottom of the tray still intact.Cut into wedges ( how big the slice is according to your preference).