It’s 8am on a Sunday morning and while doing a quick check of FaceBook, I see a post from Food & Wine. It was a heavenly post for glazed cinnamon rolls with a pecan swirl. I needed these….immediately. A quick check of the pantry confirmed I had everything I needed so the baking began.

Here is where things get very, very sad. The recipe calls for a mere 2 tablespoons of water to dissolve the yeast. Imagine a dough, made with a boatload of eggs, and then trying to beat in frozen butter??!!!! Needless to say, my poor kitchen-aid damn near flew off the counter, in a fit of rage. There was no way this dough was going to work and I was going to assassinate my mixer if I didn’t do something, quickly.

I added another 1/4 cup of water and softened the butter. Take 2 was much easier to work with. I understand why they called for the butter to be chilled (you want a flakey crust) but it’s not possible, given the ratio of eggs to flour. Lesson learned.

Time to roll out the dough.

Then comes the filling (I passed on the pecans).

A nice layer of sour cream goes down and then the yummy brown sugar / cinnamon mixture is spread.

Time to roll! You’ll have two long rolls that will then need to be put in the freezer, to firm up. I actually kept them in the freezer for abut a week, after cutting off a couple for breakfast.

The glaze was by far, the best Ice ever tasted!

I brought the remaining goodies to work and they were a big hit!

So here’s the recipe…..and just remember, more water and softened butter!!

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/glazed-cinnamon-rolls-with-pecan-swirls

DOUGH
2 1/4 teaspoons instant dry yeast
1/2 cup of warm water (original recipe called for just 2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
6 large eggs
4 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (1 1/4 pounds), plus more if the dough is too sticky.
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and softened
FILLING
4 ounces pecans (1 cup)
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup sour cream
2 large eggs beaten with 1/4 cup of water
SUGAR GLAZE
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

MAKE THE DOUGH In a medium bowl, combine the yeast with the warm water and 1 teaspoon of the sugar and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the 6 eggs. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the 4 1/2 cups of sifted flour with the salt and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Add the egg mixture and beat at medium speed until the dough is just moistened and very stiff. Add the butter a few cubes at a time, waiting until it is partially kneaded into the dough before adding more. Continue kneading until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is silky, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and slightly risen, at least 2 hours or overnight.
MAKE THE FILLING Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the pecans in a pie plate and toast for about 8 minutes, until fragrant and browned. Let cool, then finely chop the pecans. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. On a floured surface, cut the dough into 2 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time (while keeping the other refrigerated), roll the dough out to a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet and refrigerate until chilled. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Spread half of the sour cream over one sheet of dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Sprinkle with half of the pecan filling. Brush the long sides with some of the egg wash. Roll up the dough from a long side into a tight cylinder and pinch the ends to seal. Freeze the dough log until it is chilled, about 2 hours. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Cover and refrigerate the remaining egg wash.
Transfer the logs to a work surface and cut each one into 12 even slices. Set the slices on the baking sheet, cut sides up. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours and preferably overnight.
Unwrap the rolls and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the tops and sides of the rolls with the egg wash and bake in the center of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden and risen.
MEANWHILE, MAKE THE SUGAR GLAZE In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the confectioners’ sugar with the butter, heavy cream and vanilla extract until thick and smooth. Spread the sugar glaze on the hot cinnamon rolls and let cool for 20 minutes before serving.
MAKE AHEAD
The unbaked cinnamon rolls and sugar glaze can be frozen separately for up to 1 month.