MAPLE CINNAMON ROLLS

http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/09/24/melt-in-your-mouth-maple-cinnamon-rolls/

MAPLE CINNAMON ROLLS
Made this for October 2016 General Conference.  I loved being able to make the day before then just cook on Sunday.  I was wanting to try Brown Sugar Caramel Frosting so that is what I put on top.  Yum!  Everyone loved them!  I loved the dough.  I was surprised the butter did finally mix in.

Ingredients:

DOUGH

• 1 cup (240ml) whole milk1
• 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons (14g) Red Star Platinum yeast (2 standard size packets)2
• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 4 pieces
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 and 1/2 cups (558g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting/rolling

FILLING

• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

MAPLE ICING

• 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) confectioners' sugar
• 2 Tablespoons (30ml) pure maple syrup
• 2 Tablespoons (30ml) whole milk

Directions:

1. Make The Dough: In a small saucepan, warm the milk over low heat until lukewarm-- no need to use a thermometer, but to be precise: about 95°F (35°C). Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment (OR you can use a handheld mixer OR no mixer, but a stand mixer is ideal). With a spoon, manually stir in the sugar and yeast. Cover with a towel and let sit until the yeast is foamy, about 5-10 minutes. This is called proofing your yeast. If the yeast does not dissolve and foam, start over with fresh active yeast. On low speed, beat in the softened butter until it is slightly broken up. Next add the eggs, one at a time, and then the salt. The butter won't really be mixing into the mixture, so don't be alarmed if it stays in pieces. On low speed, gradually add the flour. Once it is all added, beat on medium speed until a soft dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is soft and supple, about 6 minutes longer. *If you do not have a stand-mixer with a hook attachment, knead the dough by hand in this step.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands for 1 minute. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly greased bowl. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap, a paper towel, or aluminum foil and let sit in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours. Here's what I do: turn the oven on to 250°F (121°C). Turn the oven off. Stick the covered dough inside the oven and allow it to rise in this warm environment.

1. Butter/grease/spray with nonstick spray the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish, then line with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll into a 13x18 inch rectangle. I used a ruler for accuracy. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick, even at the corners.
2. For The Filling: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and maple syrup together on medium-high speed until combined and creamy. Add the sugar and cinnamon, beating until combined. Spread the maple mixture all over the dough. Tightly roll up the dough to form an 18-inch-long log. Cut into 12 even rolls (about 1.5 inches in width each). Arrange them in the prepared baking pan, cut sides up. Cover the rolls very tightly with aluminum foil (no rolls exposed, please-- this dries out your dough) and stick in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.3
3. Remove rolls from the refrigerator and let rise in a warm place just as you did in step 2 until they are puffy, about 1-2 hours. Mine usually take 1 and 1/2 hours.
4. After the rolls have risen, preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Bake for about 25 minutes, until they are golden brown. About halfway through the bake time, I like to cover the rolls loosely with aluminum foil so the tops don't brown too much. Remove pan from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes as you make the icing.
5. Make The Icing: Whisk all of the icing ingredients together. If it's too thin, add a little more confectioners' sugar. Drizzle icing over warm rolls. Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days-- I prefer this over storing in the refrigerator. I find that dries them out, but do what you like best.
6. Make ahead tip: Baked rolls can be frozen up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up before enjoying. You can also freeze the unbaked rolls and here's how: let the rolls rise overnight through step 4, then the next morning do step 5. Then, bake the rolls for only about 10 minutes at 375°F (191°C). Cool completely, then cover tightly and freeze. Take the rolls out of the freezer and put into the refrigerator a few hours before serving. Then, finish baking them.

1. Whole milk preferred for richest tasting dough. 2% or 1% would be fine, but not ideal. Nonfat is not recommended.
2. If not using an instant yeast, rise time may be up to 40% longer.
3. No time for overnight? If planning to bake the rolls right away, in step 4-- instead of sticking the rolls in the refrigerator, loosely cover them and let rise in a warm place just as you did in step 2 until they are puffy, about 2 hours. Then continue with step 6.