One Hour Coffee Cinnamon Scrolls

It's a chilly wind that blows here today. There are few things that I enjoy more on days like this than baking bread and having that heavenly scent fill the house. But being a busy mum, it's sometimes hard to get time to fully enjoy the process of bread making, because it can span over the best part of the morning or afternoon and get in the way of other household duties. That's only one reason why I love this recipe--it only takes one hour of your time from the very first addition to the clean bowl to the removal from the oven. One hour! And only 10 minutes of that is kneading time, so I don't think we can complain too much there, especially if you have a mixer that will do the job for you. I don't--I don't think I would feel I had really made the bread if I hadn't done some of the kneading by hand.
I halved the original recipe and it still makes oh so many delicious scrolls! There's only one problem--the original recipe calls for three eggs, so halving the recipe means dividing one egg in half. I don't know if the half egg makes much difference or not, but I've never had any qualms about dividing an egg and throwing half of it down the plug hole. Maybe if you have extra large eggs you could just use the one (as I have stated in the recipe). It's up to you--skip the half egg or add it, or make the entire amount and dally out the delicious sticky loot among your friends (there's no way one family can get through the amount the original recipe makes, as these are best eaten on the day of making).

ONE HOUR COFFEE CINNAMON SCROLLS (Adapted from Valley Ridge Recipes)

DOUGH:

1 3/4 cup warm water
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup oil
3 tbsp. dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 extra large egg (alternately 1 1/2 regular eggs)
5 1/2 cups plain flour

Place the water, sugar, oil and yeast in a large bowl and mix together. Let this mixture stand for 15 minutes.
Then add the salt, egg and the flour. Mix together into a soft dough and knead for 10 minutes, adding a little more flour if necessary so it does not stick to your hands. Lightly oil the bottom of the bowl, and let the kneaded dough sit in there for 10 minutes.
Lightly cover your work area with a little oil. Place the dough on this prepared surface and roll out into a rectangle about 1 cm thick.

CINNAMON FILLING:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsps cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted

Heat the oven at 200C.
Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl until well incorporated. Brush the melted butter over the surface of the rolled dough, and evenly sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Firmly roll the dough into a roll beginning with the long side. Cut the dough into 12 even portions. Arrange neatly on a lined baking tray about 2-3 cm apart from each other. You can let them sit and rise a little for 10 minutes if you want, or put them straight in the preheated oven. Cook  for 12-15 minutes until very lightly browned on top. Remove and cool on tray.

COFFEE ICING:

1-2 tbsp instant coffee
boiling watericing sugar
2 tbsp thickened cream

In a small bowl, place the instant coffee granules with enough boiling water to dissolve it, about 2 tablespoons. When dissolved, stir through 1/4 cup icing sugar and the cream. Gradually add more icing sugar until you reach a desired consistency. Some people prefer it thick, but I like mine a bit runny. Add water if necessary until it is the way you prefer. Drizzle over the cooked scrolls and serve.

Chocolate Fudge Marshmallow Cupcakes

My husband forgot to take the baking out of the house when he left for work this morning. It's a bit like the garbage bins for other married couples, I suppose. You know when the man doesn't take out the rubbish when it needs to go? Well, Luke forgot to take out the baking. I can't face those cute little cupcakes starring at me and screaming "Eat me!"
You might think, if it's like taking out the bins, I'd get mad. No, actually, taking out the bins for me is a welcome bit of exercise and fresh air. When the baking isn't taken out, it increases the risk of needing to do more exercise because of its dangerous, tempting, fattening  and delicious nature. But somehow that still doesn't make me mad. Especially when the baking looks this cute.
I've turned to the computer as a distraction. But...all I can think about is blogging about them. Oh why did he have to forget them?
I managed to palm a few off to visiting family members who popped by for a cuppa. And my son ate the tops off about three, so the numbers were gradually going down without any being consumed by yours truly. 
Okay, I admit to trying one, for quality control. Got to make sure they're edible, after all.
They are, by the way.
These mini muffins are packed full of delicious chocolatey decadence. They're not only chocolate flavoured, but have chunks of chocolate through out, and are topped with another layer of chocolate and large pillowy pink and white vanilla marshmallows. Finished off with a scant dusting of cocoa powder, these make elegant little nibblies for an afternoon tea with the girls.

 

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE FUDGE MARSHMALLOW CUPCAKES

125g butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cups caster sugar
1/2 heaped cup plain flour
a pinch of baking powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips
150g large marshmallows (24 in total)
1/2 cup chocolate chips, extra
extra cocoa powder to decorate, if desired

Preheat oven to 180C.
Melt the butter and the sugar in a saucepan and stir. Sift flour, baking powder and cocoa into a bowl. Pour the butter mixture, eggs, and vanilla into the flour mixture and combine thoroughly. Add the chocolate chips and stir through. Spoon the mixture into a 24 hole silicone mini muffin tray (alternatively muffin cases) and cook for 20 minutes or until firm. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before removing.
Place the extra chocolate chips in a microwave proof bowl. Heat on high for 20 seconds at a time, stirring between intervals so as not to burn, until almost melted. Stir until smooth and place a teaspoon of melted chocolate onto the top of each cupcake. Before the chocolate sets, place a marshmallow on top of each. Sprinkle with cocoa powder to finish off, if desired.

Makes 24.

Cinnamon Toast Scrolls

After a little break (which was perfect timing for me, due to the birth of my little daughter) The Secret Recipe Club is back. I was assigned an amazing blog this round, Kitchen Belleicious with the lovely Jessica, who sounds as obsessed with creating food stuff as I am...and also has a newborn in the house like myself.
Busy mums need those quick and delicious recipes that can be whipped out at top speed and with little hassle, and my eyes where immediately drawn to a fabulous idea that Jessica had discovered. It was all those things I needed as a mum with a newborn in the house.

Time saver. Interesting. Delicious. Amazing in its simplicity. Ingenious. 

Besides being completely quick and delicious, these little guys are practically foolproof...and you will probably have everything required for this recipe right at your fingertips. White bread? Cinnamon? Sugar? Butter?
That's all you need to create these delightful little cinnamon scrolls, twists, or rolls. Get creative and make them just the way that tickles your fancy. I even got a little bit naughty and drizzled some thin white icing and crushed nuts over them...mmmh!
This one's marked down in my memory, ready to draw out in all those stolen moments in the kitchen when the baby is sleeping for half an hour--and there are visitors expected! Not only will you have a delicious treat to serve with tea and coffee, but you will have the delightful aroma of cinnamon wafting through the house (overtaking the smell of a freshly changed nappy, perhaps)

CINNAMON TOAST SCROLLS (from Kitchen Belleicious)

12 slices of fresh white bread
melted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp cinnamon powder

Preheat the oven to 190C (375F).
Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Cut the crusts off each slice of bread. Using a rolling pin, roll each slice as thinly as you can. Spread both sides of the piece of bread with melted butter. Coat one side of the buttered bread with the cinnamon sugar, ensuring that it is generously covered. Roll as desired (be as creative as you like) and fit the cinnamon roll into a greased mini muffin tray. (I used a silicone mini muffin tray that saves even more time)
 Repeat with the remaining slices. Bake for 15-20 or until golden brown. Cool in tray a few minutes before removing. Serve warm, as is, or with a little drizzling of icing sugar and crushed nuts.
Makes 12

Notes: These freeze well! To reheat, thaw in microwave and place in oven at a low heat until warm and crisp.