A triumph! I made cinnamon rolls that feel in the mouth and taste like the real thing.
My hubby said in passing last week that hed love to have cinnamon rolls. Of course, those would be impossible for me to make, given my dietary restrictions (or freedoms, depending how youre looking at it).
Still, my brain doesnt like that word, impossible. I searched about, and there really werent any recipes out there that didnt require wheat flour, yeast, or cups and cups of processed sugar. So I found one recipe that was as close as possible and I improvised from there. (Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesnt. Im gradually learning the chemistry and combinations that explain why.)
The original recipe called for:
— All kinds of exotic flours and starches I didnt want to use. I substituted almond flour, soy flour, and arrowroot powder.
— Buttermilk. We dont have that here (though Im pleased that our big supermarket now carries popcorn, agave syrup, and virgin coconut oil!). So I used some of my home made yogurt (since its not setting properly yet, and is thus more like buttermilk).
— Lots and lots of processed sugar. I used molasses. Yeah, its still a sugar, so these will not be an everyday thing, but at least there are still some minerals left in molasses. I should try honey next time — because I suspect there will be a next time.
So heres my gluten-free, yeast-free cinnamon roll recipe:
Topping:
(Not visible in my photo, cause they were right out of the oven and it would have just melted if I tried to put it on.)
— 1/2 cup of virgin coconut oil
— a few drops of vanilla stevia
— some leftover sugar, salt, and cinnamon that were in the bowl
Filling:
— 3 tsp cinnamon
— 1 cup molasses
— 1/4 tsp salt
Rolls:
2 cups almond flour
2/3 cup soy flour
1/3 cup arrowroot powderâ¨2 tsp xanthan gumâ¨2 tbsp molassesâ¨1 1/4 tsp baking powderâ¨1/2 tsp baking sodaâ¨1/2 tsp saltâ¨1 1/4 cups yogurt (thin)â¨3 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
Directions:
— Preheat oven to 220°C.
— Lay a big sheet of parchment/waxed paper on the counter.
— Mix all the dry ingredients for the rolls, then add in the yogurt and butter.
— Stir into a doughy batter.
— Flatten the dough onto the parchment.
— Sprinkle the filling evenly over the surface of the dough.
— Lift the parchment to separate one edge of the dough, then roll it all up into a log.
— Cut the log into buns and place onto a non-stick tray (I reused my parchment for this).
— Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 12 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 12-15 minutes.
— Remove from oven and let cool.
— Flip them over (gooey side up!) and spread on the topping.
~
Ive really been enjoying baking lately, I think partly because its nice to eat solid foods such as breads and get treats. Plus its demanded lots of problem-solving and invention, which I like.
Still, I think its time to focus on main meals again, and up the amount of greens were eating. Its so easy to ski back down the slippery sugar-slope, but that stuff just makes me feel awful now (even munching on some of the crispy leftovers from the cinnamon rolls has given me a peripheral almost-headache).