Flour Tortillas

 From justataste.com

• ▢ 4 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• ▢ 1 2/3 cups hot water
• ▢ 1/4 cup vegetable oil

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

Add the water and vegetable oil and using your hands, mix together the dough until it is a cohesive ball and all of the liquid has been absorbed. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed. (The dough should be soft and Playdoh-like in texture, but not sticky.)

Transfer the dough onto your work surface and knead it about 10 times until it becomes smooth all over. 

Divide the dough into 12 equal balls then flat each ball slightly into the shape of a hockey puck. Flour each piece of dough on both sides then set them aside and cover them with a towel.

Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat.

Roll out one piece of dough into an 8-inch circle then transfer it to the hot pan. Cook the tortilla for about 1 minute then flip it once and continue cooking it an additional 30 seconds or until golden brown spots appear on both sides. Transfer the tortilla from the pan into a towel and cover it while you roll out and cook the remaining tortillas.

Perfect Classic Cinnamon Rolls

 

Perfect Classic Cinnamon Rolls

These Perfect Classic Cinnamon Rolls were adapted from Kiley Heard

Prep Time: 45 MinCook Time: 30 MinInactive Time: 1 H & 45 MTotal Time: 3 Hour

Ingredients

Dough:

• 3/4 cup (180ml) milk of choice, warmed to 110F (I place in the microwave for ~45 seconds; it should feel like a warm bath, but not too hot)
• 1/2 cup (110g) granulated sugar, divided
• 2 1/2 tsp (9g) active dry yeast (substitution: instant yeast)
• 1/2 cup (120g) Greek yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (113g) salted butter, very softened (almost melted)
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp (4g) vanilla bean paste or extract
• 4 1/2 cups (540g) bread flour (substitution: all-purpose flour); see notes section below on how to properly measure
• 1 tsp (6g) salt

Cinnamon Filling:

• 1/2 cup (113g) salted butter, softened (not melted)
• 1/2 cup (120g) light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp (12g) cinnamon
• 1 tsp (4g) vanilla bean paste or extract
• 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream, for pouring over the rolls

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 4oz (125g; 1/2 block) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup (58g) salted butter, softened
• 1 cups 120g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp (4g) vanilla bean paste or extract
• 1/4 cup whipping cream

Instructions

Activate the yeast for the dough:

1. Start by activating the yeast for the dough. Pour the warm milk into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Add 1 tbsp (13g) of the granulated sugar and sprinkle the yeast overtop. Stir and allow to sit for 5-7 minutes, until frothy and activated. If using instant yeast, no need to wait for it to bloom; go straight into mixing the dough together!

Continue preparing the dough:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.
2. Once activated, pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if mixing/kneading the dough by hand). Add the rest of the sugar (1/2 cup minus the 1 tbsp that was used to activate the yeast), Greek yogurt or sour cream, butter, eggs, vanilla, and the flour mixture.
3. With the dough hook attachment (or with a wooden spoon if mixing by hand), mix on low speed for 1 minute, until barely combined. Allow to rest for 5 minutes so the flour can soak up the liquids.
4. Then, mix on medium speed for 5-7 minutes, until the dough is elastic, smooth, and is pulling away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough seems a little too sticky, you can add 1 tbsp more flour at a time, until it starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Don’t be tempted to add too much, you want the dough to be slightly sticky! I ended up adding about 3 tbsp more flour. If you are mixing and kneading by hand, pour the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes by hand.
5. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise in a warm environment for 30-45 minutes. Don’t let the dough rise for too long, or your cinnamon rolls will turn out a little too airy. NOTE: This dough won't double in size in that timeframe, and that's what we want!

Prepare cinnamon filling and baking pan:

1. While the dough is rising, prepare the cinnamon filling by mixing together the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla until well combined. Set aside.
2. Grease a 9x13” baking pan with butter.

Shape, assemble, and proof the cinnamon rolls:

1. Once the dough is done rising, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface.
2. If you are making 8 larger cinnamon rolls, roll the dough out to a 16x15” rectangle. For 12 smaller cinnamon rolls, roll it out to a 24x15” rectangle.
3. Disperse the cinnamon filling all over the surface of the dough, and spread/smooth it out evenly, leaving a very small border around the edges.
4. Starting on the long end, tightly roll the dough up into a log. Using a sharp knife or unflavored floss, cut the dough into 8 larger or 12 smaller rolls total. Each roll should be ~2” in width.
5. Place the rolls into the prepared baking pan. Cover the pan and allow to proof for another 25-30 minutes while the oven preheats, until puffy.
6. Preheat the oven to 350F.

Bake:

1. Once the cinnamon rolls are proofed, warm the heavy cream in the microwave for 15 seconds, and pour all over the rolls.
2. For 8 larger rolls, bake at 350F for the first 22-24 minutes. Then, turn the oven temperature up to 375F and bake for another 5-7 minutes, until the tops are golden and the rolls are cooked through.
3. For 12 smaller rolls, bake at 350F for the first 20-22 minutes. Then, turn the oven temperature up to 375F and bake for another 5-7 minutes. The change in temperature allows the rolls to cook fully through without getting too dark on top and drying out in the middle.

Prepare cream cheese frosting and serve:

1. While the rolls are baking, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In a large bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese, cream and softened butter until smooth and fluffy. Then, beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla until well combined and smooth.
2. Remove the rolls from the oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.
3. Then, spread the cream cheese frosting all over the rolls.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

• Everyone's ovens can slightly vary in temperature, which will affect the bake time. If you remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and they still seem doughy in the middle, place them back into the oven at 350F and add 5 minutes at a time as needed.
• I HIGHLY recommend weighing your ingredients always (it's much more accurate). If you are using cups, please make sure to scoop and level your flour properly, this is one of the biggest mistakes that occurs when it comes to baking because it's very common to over-measure flour when using cups. Click here for a tutorial on how to properly scoop and level your flour for cup measurements.
• If you are having trouble getting your yeast to activate, make sure to check that your yeast is not expired. I also HIGHLY recommend using a thermometer to ensure that your milk is at the correct temperature (I always add my sugar and yeast once the milk hits 110F).