Valentine's Day Heart-Shaped Cinnamon Rolls

Courtesy of Liz Gray
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen

Hi Friends,

Homemade cinnamon rolls (in a heart shape, no less) really show how much you care.

Although, Valentine's Day is on a Thursday this year, so you can still pull off a romantic gesture for your special someone. (After all, you've already found the perfect gift, right?) The plan: Valentine's Day breakfast, with these heart-shaped cinnamon rolls you can make ahead of time in the center of the table. Save the Mimosas for dinner...

Make the Dough
Pick your favorite classic cinnamon roll recipe to get things going. Cinnamon rolls start with a basic sweet roll dough, which includes eggs, butter and milk to make it extra-rich.

Classic Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Level: Intermediate
Total: 2 hr 15 min
Prep: 1 hr 45 min
Cook: 30 min

Yield: 12 rolls

Ingredients
For the rolls:

• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 batch Basic Sweet-Roll Dough, recipe follows

For the glaze:

• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Basic Sweet-Roll Dough:

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 1/4 -ounce packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus more for brushing
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Directions

1. Make the rolls: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Whisk the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 10-by-18-inch rectangle. Spread the butter over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on one of the long sides. Top with the cinnamon sugar. Brush the clean border with water. Tightly roll the dough into an 18-inch log, rolling toward the clean border; pinch the seam to seal.
   
   
2. Slip a long taut piece of thread or unflavored floss under the roll, about 1 1/2 inches from the end. Lift the ends of the thread and cross over the roll, pulling tightly to cut off a piece.
   
   Repeat, cutting every 1 1/2 inches, to make 12 rolls. Place the rolls in the prepared baking dish.
3. Cover the rolls loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour, 10 minutes.
   
   
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover the rolls and bake until they spring back when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan. (You can freeze the baked rolls for up to 2 weeks. Cool completely before freezing, then thaw, warm up and glaze before serving.)
   
   
5. Make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, melted butter, milk, vanilla and salt in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle over the warm rolls.
   

Basic Sweet-Roll Dough:

1. Warm 1/2 cup water and the milk in a saucepan over low heat until a thermometer registers 100 degrees F to 110 degrees F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the yeast on top, then sprinkle with a pinch of the sugar; set aside, undisturbed, until foamy, about 5 minutes.
   
   
2. Whisk the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture until combined. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, the remaining sugar, the salt and nutmeg. Make a well in the center, then add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to make a thick and slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Shape into a ball.
   
   
3. Brush a large bowl with butter. Add the dough, turning to coat lightly with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour, 15 minutes.
   
   
4. Turn the dough out of the bowl and knead briefly to release excess air; re-form into a ball and return to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap and lay it directly on the surface of the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

You're sure to win at Valentine's Day breakfast with these heart-shaped cinnamon rolls, yum...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

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Live well,
Yvonne