instructables

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition)

by PieBaby89

Want to impress your family and friends with the most delectable Cinnamon rolls they have ever tasted? Wait, your kid made it?!

Gurl, I've got you covered.

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 1 Step 1: Introduction to Our Agenda

Welcome everybody to today's new, slightly different implementing, that involves including children to food Instructables' post. participate in your baking/cooking session. Let me elaborate further below. In this particular post, I will be sharing with you my to- die-for, not-so-secret "secret" recipe to the softest, the About The Recipe fluffiest, THE YUMMIEST homemade cinnamon roll around! No need to go to the mall and buy a $6 My recipe involves using a Chinese making Cinnabon anymore (tho i'm still a big of Cinnabon Kat technique called the Tang Zhong method. Yes it is a Cole *salutes you) You can and you will make these French Brioche recipe but the reason I added the because they are just too darn good not to be shared Tang Zhong technique is because 1) It yields a with your loved ones. I will let you know now, that fluffier, lighter bun, 2) It remains moist and supple there are two major different components to this post, even till the next day and 3) It's foolproof and flexible that is the recipe; and the educational approach I am to mistakes. In addition to that, the brioche recipe itself gives the bun a great rich, buttery eggy flavor, kids with you, if anything it will be easier because that's why we start to include them in our burgers, their motorskills are better developed. This will be a grilled cheese etc. great fun learning session for the stay-at-home- parent, grandparents, group baking session, more Cooking with Children Edition experienced sitter/nanny and even teachers who are seeking new ways to implement a hands-on approach To add on to this post, I will be teaching and giving to teach their students about real-life skills. you tips & tricks on how to involve children in your baking session. We will be focusing on pre-school age to kindergarteners today, but if you have older

Step 2: Why Bother Cooking With Children?

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 2 When you were little, were you intrigue by mom give them a sense of awareness about what goes on scooping ? Or grandma rolling out her pie in real life: cleaning, cooking, laundry, chores etc. and beautifully crimping the edges? Or a particular spice that fills the air when dad is cooking? For me, I Do take note about their capabilities within their have kept the fond memories of the smell of butter, own age group. sugar and vanilla being creamed in the mixer. My mom would then allow me to scoop flour and i was Little ones ranging from 2-3 years old may have mesmerized by the white cloud of flour as it got mixed limited motorskills, if anything they prefer making a into the batter. It's the little things that manage to mess. Which is OKAY because that's how they learn. ingrain into our minds. Whether or not you may or Textures, color, noise. It's all about sensory play. may not have a positive kitchen role models in your Ensure tools are lightweight, plastic and ingredients lives, it's never too early or too late to teach or be that are safe to consume if accidentally swallowed person. (chocolate chips, sprinkles, royal icing decorations are okay. Raw ingredients like flour, eggs are big no- Being a SAHM (stay at home mom) of a nos) kindergartener, a preschooler and a 2 year old whirlwind toddler, I try to find ways to keep them Children ranging from 4-5 years old have better busy. Not that boredom is bad (if anything it's attention span and can understand simple essential), but including them in my daily chores will instructions. They are also more keen to doing things correctly (but not perfectly which is OKAY). They are can lead to child falling face first on the counter or fall able to scoop & pour ingredients (but not accurately), sideways potentially hitting their head on hard floors. mix loose batters, use cookie cutters, shape dough Do not allow children of any age to sit on the counter. into balls, spread frosting, sprinkle sprinkles as decorations and if they ambitious enough, attempt to 5. Let adults do heat related steps and directions. pipe. I said 'attempt' because some tools may make it Whether it is a microwave, electric stove, gas burner, either easier or difficult to achieve. oven. Have an adult help in inserting the cookie pan into the oven or melt the chocolate for the child. Older children ranging from 6-10 years old Children are not the best in estimating high (depending on their kitchen experience) have better temperatures. just let the adults do this part. means of handling kitchen tools and equipment (with adult supervision of course) and carry/mix thicker 6. Use common sense. If the child is having trouble batter. They would be able to replicate vision to doing anything, either help or show them correctly. reality, for example: Able to decorate a frosted cookie Adults are better at controlling a situation, so if you cake using a theme. If a garden theme was given, the see that a child is endangering him/herself, stop child could independently produce a final product in whatever you are doing and prevent an accident from correlation to the theme. For example produce a happening first. cookie that is frosted red with black spots like a ladybug or pipe a simple buttercream flower. So now that we've passed this part, let's get to it!

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

1. Do NOT leave a child unattended in the kitchen. Spills, cuts, burns, entanglement can occur at any time with or without your presence. If you must attend to something else, turn off all appliances and inform the child to exit the kitchen and wait for a few Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 3 moments. If you have an adult assistant (dad, grandparent) ask if they could watch them for a few.

2. Use age appropriate tools and equipment. If a younger child would like to attempt to cut or shape something and need cutting tools, use a kid's kitchen knife, a disposable plastic knife or a butter knife instead. If the recipe calls for complicated slices (for ex this cinnamon roll recipe), the adult must do it on behalf. Same goes to electronic handheld/stand mixer. The adult MUST help as these electronic equipments are extremely heavy and dangerous if not used correctly.

3. Ensure girl's hair is up and in a bun. Long hair and fringes can easily get caught in mixers and can lead to a really bad accidents.

4. Use proper standing stools. Using a flimsy chair

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 4 Step 3: The Master Recipe

Ingredients for the Water Roux Tang Zhong: 1/4 cup of white granulated sugar

1/4 cup of all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of water 2 tablespoon of soften unsalted butter

Ingredients for the Yeast mixture: 1 egg + 1 yolk, room temperature

2 tablespoon of white granulated sugar 1/4 cup of warm milk

1 and half teaspoon of active rise yeast Yeast mixture

1/3 cup of warm milk Roux

Ingredients for the Brioche: Ingredients for the Brown sugar filling:

3 cups of all purpose flour 1 cup of dark brown sugar

2 tablespoon of ground cinnamon 1-2 cups of powdered sugar (depending on desired sweetness and consistency) Ingredients for the Cream cheese frosting: A splash (2 tablespoon) of warm milk, enough to 1/2 package (4oz) of cream cheese, soften to room loosen frosting temperature Baker's note*: This recipe has been updated with 4 tablespoon of unsalted butter, soften minor changes, rest assured the one typed here is the latest one to use. 2 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla extract

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 5 Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 6 Step 4: Making of the Water Roux (aka Tang Zhong)

The science behind the water roux aka Tang Zhong is Pour your measured flour and water into a small that by cooking a few percent of the flour with water saucepan. Whisk them till there's no clumps of flour. (also know as "scalding flour" before adding into the Transfer to a stove and turn heat to medium. Cook mother dough recipe it converts the sugars into starch while stirring continuously until the liquid forms a thick which results in starch gelatinization rather than translucent gel like paste. Ensure to scrape bottom to activating gluten protein strains. When you add the prevent crusting and burning. Remove from heat and cooked starchy flour into the mother dough recipe, the cool completely. Set aside. starch inhibits some gluten formation, to prevent it to become extremely chewy with a tight crumb. Some Kid's Corner: bread like baguettes need extreme gluten formation to get their characteristic chewy and thick crust Allow child to pour ingredients into the saucepan mouthfeel. But for some like white loaf, and whisk slowly and gently. Adult would have to delicacy buns and personally, cinnamon rolls, a soft cook the roux on the stove. Do not let child to airy crumb is more palatable. touch hot sauce pan while cooling.

Directions To Tang Zhong:

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 7 Step 5: Wake the Yeast

Directions: Ask them:

In a small bowl, pour your sugar, yeast and warm milk What does that smells like? It smells like yeast. together. Mix them and leave them aside for 5 minutes until mixture is foamy. Is the bowl warm or cold? The bowl feels warm in their hands. Kid's corner: Do you see the tiny bubbles? The yeast is farting Allow the child to hold the spoon while you pour your gas and make bubbles. sugar, yeast and milk respectively. Using a small spoon, let them slowly mix the mixture.

Step 6: Mother Dough

Directions:

Pour your flour, sugar, salt, eggs, soften butter cooled, roux, yeast mixture and milk into your mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl.

Kid's corner:

Allow the child to help you pour the ingredients into the large bowl. Make funny sounds as the ingredients fall like PLOP! SWISH! GLOP!

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 8 Step 7: Mix and Let Rise

Directions: the mixer and by all means do not insert fingers into the bowl while the machine is on. Turn your mixer on low and gradually increase to medium speed. Knead the dough for 15 minutes until After kneading, allow the child to feel the dough. it forms a tacky ball. It should be tacky but not overly Is it soft? Is it sticky? What color is the dough? sticky. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Cover the dough with saran wrap and let it proof in a dark warm place Ask them if they would like to help you seal the for 1 hour. plastic wrap.

Kid's Corner: Don't forget to praise every so often that they are being such a great helper. Ensure that the child is within safe distance from

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 9 Step 8: Make the Filling

While the dough is proofing... What is that smell? This is Cinnamon. Do you like this smell? Measure the the brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix them evenly.

Kid's corner: During that 60 minute wait, it's a great time to Allow the child to pack the brown sugar. wash their hands and have a little snack time to freshen up. Ask them what does that remind you of? Does it feel like sand? It's like a sand castle isn't it?

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 10 Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 11 Step 9: Deflating Dough and Rolling

Directions: Ask, "How does it feel?" "Is it soft or hard"

After 60 minutes, remove dough from warm area. Teach the child to hold the rolling pin accordingly. Dust your working area with flour, and sprinkle some Ask the child if they know how does a rectangle flour over the dough. Punch out the air and turn your shape look like. dough onto your working area, Dust a little flour for easy handling. Using a rolling pin, roll your dough into Guide them to roll a rectangle as evenly as a rectangle about 1/2 an inch thick. possible. If it's out of shape but the same thickness, that's OKAY. Kid's corner: Place the heavy rolling pin away and in a safe Allow child to sprinkle the flour at the working area so it doesn't roll away and potentially drop station. Remind child to sprinkle within the on their feet after use. designated area only and not outside the perimeter. Have him/her punch the dough and feel the air escaping.

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 12 Step 10: Butter the Dough and Sprinkle the Sugar

With only 2 tablespoon of really soft, spreadable a butter knife or an offset spatula to spread the butter butter, place a few dallops of butter here and there. thinly. Let them sprinkle the sugar, try to ensure child Spread them with a butter knife until evenly spread. sprinkle in the dough not outside the perimeter. Also Sprinkle your cinnamon sugar until all areas are well encourage child to spread the sugar around the covered. Pat the sugar down so they are nicely dough. Children have the habit of mounting sugar at packed together. one particular spot only.

Kid's Corner: Using both hands, pat the sugar down. Make sound effects like "Pat, pat, pat, pat" Allow child to use their hands to put a few drops of butter here and there. Teach them how to hold

Step 11: Roll the Dough

Tuck the ends tightly and begin rolling the dough as tightly and evenly as possible on both sides. Pinch the other end of the dough so it would not unravel itself.

Kid's corner:

Help the child to tuck the first end. They are particularly good at this because their little fingers can roll small areas very well. Tell them to roll and 'push' as the dough gathers itself.

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 13 Step 12: Cut and Place

Divide the roll into 12 equal pieces by cutting them Kid's corner: with an extremely sharp knife. The sharper the knife the easier it is to cut the dough, and it doesn't pull, This WILL be an adult step to proceed. Allow the drag the dough and sugar along with it. child to watch and put their little fingers away. Ensure the sharp point of the knife always points Place the evenly cut rolls into an UNbuttered 9 by 15 AWAY from the child when you are cutting and pan. slicing. Place knife away safely when completed.

Baker's Tip: Next, with guidance allow the child to gently lift the rolls. If they are clumsy with a squishy dough, When placing the sliced buns, place them in a way let an adult lift the dough and place it gently into that the pinched ends are facing inwards towards the their palms. Then gently plop them unto the pan. other buns. So when it expands and bakes, the ends does not unravel itself. Tucking inwards will give you nice round rolls.

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 14 Step 13: Second Proof & Making of Cream Cheese Frosting

Place a saran wrap and let it rise for the second time Directions: but for only 30 minutes in a warm, dark environment until a third of it's size. Place your soften cream cheese and butter into a mixing bowl and cream it using a paddle attachment While second proofing, you can proceed on to making until light and fluffy. Ensure to scrape the sides. Pour the cream cheese frosting. in your powdered sugar and vanilla. For a buttery less sweet version, just stick to 1 cup of powdered sugar. Ingredients for the Cream cheese frosting: Drizzle one or two tablespoon of milk to loosen the 1/2 package (4oz) of cream cheese, soften to room buttercream a little. And continue whipping until it temperature reach a fluffy spreadable consistency. Cover with a saran wrap until ready to use. 4 tablespoon of unsalted butter, soften Kid's corner: 2 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla extract Allow the child to squeeze or plop the butter and 1-2 cups of powdered sugar (depending on desired cream cheese bar into the mixing bowl. Then let sweetness and consistency) them scoop the powdered sugar into the mixing bowl when the mixer is turned off. Followed by the A splash (2 tablespoon) of warm milk, enough to vanilla and milk. loosen frosting

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 15 Step 14: Bake

(my son actually fell asleep on the couch while immediately will let the water molecules to escape waiting for the second rise to finish) into the air, and soon leave your bread dry.I recommend you waiting for at least 45 minutes to one After proofing for 30 minutes, bake the rolls at 380 hour before tearing one open. It's tempting I know! but Fahrenheit for 20 minutes flat. for the of your hard work, just wait...trust me!

Let it cool for 3-5 minutes and then spread your Kid's Corner: cream cheese frosting while it's still warm. This will be adult only step. High temperatures, DO NOT cut immediately. Like most to all bread hot pans are not recommended for children. recipes, allow them to cool to almost room temperature before serving, This will allow the water molecules to get re-adsorb into the dough leaving you with a soft pillowy loaf for a very long time. Cutting it

Step 15:

Spread a good amount of cream cheese frosting on And for future use: your slightly hot buns. The residual heat will melt away slightly, which is normal. If you prefer them Allow the buttercream to thaw out completely. Using sweet, spread more frosting. Any leftover frosting can a whisk or a mixer, whip them again so you can be stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag and achieve the fluffy consistency you had previously. placed in the freezer for future use.

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 16 Step 16: How to Serve

Yes, it's that time. all means. With the sharp point pointing down, i loosen the sides a little bit. Once you can roughly feel Because these rolls are soft, so luscious, so the buns are detached from the pan. With the same incredibly pillowy, i honestly do not recommend you gentle clawing motion, i slowly like to tear the sides to slice with a knife or a spatula. Those tools will away from the other bun, gentle and slow will do it. squish the beautiful crumbs you work so hard to show Then once it's detached from the other side of the off. Yes, i grant you your braggin' rights! buns, use the fork and scrape the bottom.. Then lift the bun up and serve it on a pretty plate. I used a fork. There you go. Yes, a fork. Not to dig thru and chow down but hey by

Step 17:

A little baker's note: 1) The butter pool get soaked by the bread. The buns have soggy bottoms...erm no. As you can see, if you use the fork technique, it will not squish the crumbs at all. It leaves the other buns 2) The excess fat from the butter chars and burns. to be beautifully served as well for the next guy...and Together with the brown sugar, it forms almost like a the next. harden caramel bottom. Not pleasing to eat and impossible to wash! Also, the reason why I only use 2 tablespoon of butter to spread unto the dough before sprinkling the sugar Hence 2 tablespoon is enough. Just enough to stick is because of all my years doing this, when another the sugar and give flavor, but not leak out during recipes calls for 1 whole stick of butter to spread, I baking ;) noticed that the excessive butter leaks out and settle to the bottom of the pan. That creates two problems:

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 17 Step 18:

Good luck and enjoy!

Step 19:

Followup comment: These also freeze VERY well. With a 1 minute defrost & 30 sec. of microwave, they are restored to their out-of-oven glory. I'm going to try using this dough for oven doughnuts! Awesome recipe! Definitely the next recipe on my to do list. Do you have this recipe in a Metric format seeing that in Australia imperial measurements are not Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 18 used in recipes, we only use grams and milliliters. Looking forward to try it, and thanks again for an inspiring recipe Yes DawieV I actually do! In fact it was the original recipe but too many people prefer it in cups so I switched to the US conversion. The liquids are still in cups tho however if u don't mind. But here you go: Water roux: 30g of all purpose flour 1/2 cup of water

Yeast mixture: 50g of warm milk 20g of white granulated sugar 5g of active yeast

Mother dough: 300g of all purpose flour 1/2 tsp of salt 39g of soften unsalted butter 59g of white granulated sugar 1 egg plus 1 yolk 1/4 cup of warm milk Roux Yeast mixture

Let me know any updates. Sorry it took awhile but all the best!!

Great recipe and activity. You could change 'girl's hair' to 'long hair'.

Yes! That indeed would be better, shall update it asap. Thank you! :D

Great work involving your young man. I must have a go at these myself as well. Yeah, baking, kid wrangling, AND composing!

Thank you and it would be easier and better if I had a phone tripod to have better angles for the pictures. Thank you and yes, he is my little sous chef in the making :D

Just out of the oven. I can't wait....

Those look so good! Great job! How did they turn out after trying?

They were as good as they looked. My sub of Greek yogurt for cream cheese left the frosting sticky, but that's why they're called sticky buns. I've frozen the survivors, and we'll see how well they defrost. A heads up about the frosting recipe. You didn't show the powdered sugar more less the amount needed. You should really proof read your recipe before posting. Little kids can get discouraged when their project doesn’t turn out right. My niece did.

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 19 For some reason Instructables is taking it's time to update the changes or it could be a bug. I will let you know it's up and running! My bad! The post has been updated and frosting details are located at the Second proofing & Cream cheese frosting step. The ingredients and directions are placed together for convenience.

And I'm sorry your niece had a failed attempt at another recipe. Kids and even adults feel discouraged when a recipe doesn't turn out like it should. Perhaps you could give a recipe a go and see if it's doable or require some changes. Sometimes oven temps, humidity and altitude could wreck havoc. But this recipe has been used many times, so do let me know if you see any difference in your attempt. Thank you again for letting me know! :D This is SO getting tried out. I've made breadbuns (Boller in Norwegian) with the Tang Zhong- method and they turned out pretty awesome if I may say so myself, but Cinnamon Brioche-rolls sounds far too yumz to not be tried... I wish you all the best Marius! Do let me know how it turns out or if you have a question to ask :D

Um, a) mixing the frosting doesn't appear in the timeline (oh I found it in the proofing step), and b) you don't mention 2 cups of confectioner's sugar in the ingredients. I plan to try this soon! Oops! My bad! I shall give it a quick edit in a minute. Thank you for giving me a heads up. My eyes get boggled after so many words @_@

Extra Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Roll (Cooking With Children Edition): Page 20