The Sticky Bun Conundrum

Sticky buns are good, but sticking to a bad idea isn't. Megan and I had originally decided not to offer Cinnamon Rolls at the bakery. Instead we were going to offer her grandmother's Hungarian Nut Roll as an alternative, and it IS a delightful alternative! Similar to Cinnamon Rolls, the Hungarian Nut Roll is a yeast based dough that is rolled up and sliced, but it is filled with dried fruits and nuts rather than cinnamon, sugar, and butter.

"Everyone does cinnamon rolls, and we want to be a little different, so we'll offer the Hungarian Nut Roll INSTEAD of Cinnamon Rolls," we said to each other. 

This was our plan. . . . . until. . . . my friend Doug signed up to bring cinnamon rolls to a chili cook-off at work and I said I'd help him bake a batch, rather than him buying rolls from the grocery store. (He's known for his Cheez-it contributions to work potlucks I'm told). 

Close Up of Still Warm Rolls

So we warmed our yeast in the water. We melted butter. We blended our flour with butter and eggs. He kneaded. The dough rose. He patted. I rolled and sliced. He buttered the pan. The oven baked. I iced. And he was a hit at work the next day with this old school (meaning small in size) batch of cinnamon rolls.

Pan View (my great grandmother's pan)

 Long story short, we ARE going to offer Cinnamon Rolls at Two Birds Bakery. 

And here's something I learned about cinnamon rolls. . . .it seems cinnamon is an anti-fungal, meaning it's a yeast killer, thus the cinnamon is swirled between layers and not mixed directly into the dough! To think, two enemies mingling into the sweetest of treats - maybe Cinnamon Rolls will bring peace. 

Soon, pictures of the Hungarian Nut Roll will be posted, and you'll see - even visually - it'll be hard to decide, so you'll just have to try both!

~ Trilety