Franzbrotchen

German Cinnamon Sugar Rolls

5 from 1 vote

Course Dessert

Heat milk to just warm in a small saucepan- not above 105 degrees F or you'll kill the yeast.
Sprinkle the yeast and one tablespoon of the sugar over the milk and let bloom for about 10 minutes until the mixture starts to look frothy.
Whisk together the yeast mixture, the remainder of the sugar, eggs, and salt together in a large bowl.
Add the flour and stir to combine until the dough starts to come together. Continue kneading until it comes together into a smooth ball, about 5 minutes. If the dough is very sticky, add a little bit of flour at a time.
Cover the dough in the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and place in a warm spot in the kitchen. Let rise for about 1-2 hours until the dough has doubled in size.

Place the butter on a piece of parchment paper and cover with another piece of parchment paper. Beat a few times with a rolling pin to soften if necessary. Roll into a roughly 6 inch square. Avoid touching the butter too much with your hands or overworking it to avoid melting. Place the butter, still between the pieces of parchment, in the refrigerator to chill while you roll out the dough.

Take the risen dough out of the bowl and placed on a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times and then form into an 8 in square.
Take the butter block out of the refrigerator and place it diagonally on the dough square so the corners are touching the center of the dough edges.
Fold the dough corners over towards the center like an envelope, so they cover the butter block completely. Press down on the dough edges to seal the butter in.
Roll out the dough (with the butter inside) to about 8 inches by 12 inches. Fold the rectangle in thirds like a letter.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for about 20 minutes. This is to give the dough time to relax and to prevent the butter from softening too much and melting.
Remove dough from the refrigerator. Turn 90 degrees so you are rolling it out the opposite of how you rolled it the first time. Roll out to an 8 inch by 12 inch rectangle and fold the rectangle in thirds like last time.
Wrap in dough in plastic and chill in refrigerator again for about 20 minutes. Remove dough and roll out and fold again for a third time. Wrap and chill for a final 20 minutes. If during any of these laminations you find it difficult to roll out the dough, let it sit for a few minutes to rest and then try again.
After the final chilling you are ready to shape the dough.

Roll out the dough to about 3/16" thick. If it is difficult to roll out and keeps shrinking back, let it rest for a few minutes before trying again.
Trim the edges off the dough to form an even rectangle.
Combine the 3/4 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the dough, leaving a small 3/4 in border at the edge.
Roll the dough up tightly into a log. Slice it into 2 inch wide pieces - you should get about eight pieces.
Place the pieces upright (like a wheel), seam side down, on a baking sheet lined with either parchment paper or silicone baking mat, about 2 inches apart. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or a chopstick, press down into the middle of the roll to squash the roll down and make the sides fan out. Do not press all the way down and split the roll.
Brush the tops of the rolls with egg wash and let them proof on the tray for about 2 hours, until the rolls have doubled in size and look puffy and light.
While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Brush another layer of egg wash over the rolls and bake for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown.