Cinnamon rolls and a tall glass of cold milk have the status of an iconic breakfast, a true classic loved by many. This is a slightly richer, extraordinary version of the famous rolls. With lots of cinnamon and chocolate, they make for a perfect breakfast, and a perfect sweet treat. The best part about them is that you can make them in the evening, let them slowly rise in the refrigerator overnight, then just remove and bake in the morning!
Perfect for busy mornings, or those lazy, hazy Sundays. They are also really great for picnics - just bake them in a disposable pan, and you can use it to transport them. You can adorn them with a drizzle of an icing of your choice, but as you know, I am not a fan of icings on cinnamon rolls, so I opted to serve them without it. And if you are feeling really jovial, you can serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Ingredients
For the cinnamon dough
400 grams plain flour
3 tablespoons icing sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dry yeast
120 grams vanilla yoghurt
180 warm water
1 tablespoon oil
For the chocolate cinnamon filling
120 grams butter, softened
100 grams light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
200 grams cooking chocolate
Preparation
Sift the flour into a large bowl, then sift in the icing sugar, add in the yeast and cinnamon, and whisk well. Make a hole in the centre, then pour in the lukewarm water, oil, and yoghurt. Start mixing slowly with a wooden spoon (or a sturdy spatula) until a shaggy dough comes together. Proceed to knead it by hand for about 5 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth and springy to the touch. If it sticks too much to your hands or the work surface, add a tiny bit of flour more.
Let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes, then roll it out into a square (30x30 cm). Be patient with the dough, and if starts to shrink back, let it rest for a few more minutes. Spread the softened butter evenly on the dough, then sprinkle on the cinnamon. Evenly sprinkle the light brown sugar over the cinnamon, then evenly spread the chopped up chocolate.
Gently and evenly roll the dough up into a log, then slice it up into twelve equal rolls, and arrange them in a small baking pan (18x18 cm), lined with baking paper. Cover them snugly with cling film, and place them into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. Next morning, or when you are ready to bake, remove the cling film, and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, to warm up and rise slightly, then bake in a preheated oven, at 180°C (350°F), for 15-20 minutes. Yields 12 rolls.
