Cast Iron Skillet Sweet Rolls

05 Mar 2018

Normally during the holidays, I have been whipping up homemade Cruellers, but they are time consuming and these days I want to relax while I have time off from work aka just no. Thus began my quest for something just as good, but that took less time. I decided to go with sticky buns and while they required two rising times, they were simple enough and did not require my presence in the kitchen for hours.

They turned out good (according to hubs - Hen just made weird noises so I assume that is a positive?), but I was still not entirely satisfied - they still had a bit of hardness/dryness that cinnamon rolls sometimes get and I wanted fluffy, yeasty rolls. So off I went experimenting for something more ideal based on other experiences making sweet rolls/cinnamon rolls etc. and I think I found it - for us at least.

This recipe is technically for sweet rolls in the cast iron skillet, but has shorter rise times ( a 1.5 hour and 45 minutes) with a coconut, pecan filling and caramel topping (sweet bun esq) and the texture I desired (not dry, but a tiny crunch). The filling and topping can be whatever you dream up, but keep the cast iron if you want the same results, I haven't tested in other dishes.


Cast Iron Skillet Sweet Rolls

Recipe for Cast Iron Skillet Sweet Rolls
By

Cast Iron Skillet Sweet Rolls

Prep time: - Cook time: - Total time:
Yield: 9 rollsS

Ingredients

Dough

- 3.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 pkg (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt (whole milk or 2%)
- 6 T unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 t salt
- 1 egg

Coconut Pecan Filling

- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 3/4 cup shredded coconut
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 t cinnamon
- 1 t cocoa powder
- 1/8 t salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

Caramel

- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 t salt

-
Directions

Sweet Rolls

Preheat oven to 350F. In a stand-up mixer bowl, add flour and yeast. Mix with the paddle attachement.

Heat milk, yogurt, butter, sugar and salt in pot over medium heat on stove until it reaches 120F.

Turn mixer on low and beat in milk mixture slowly, then add egg. Beat until dough forms, then switch from paddle to dough hook.

Beat dough for 5 minutes until dough is elastic in texture and pulls away from sides.

Spray a large glass bowl with cooking spray and place ball of dough, cover, place somewhere warm and let rise until it doubles (about 1.5 hours)

My oven has a proof option at 100F so I use this for rising, if you have this option try it.

Once dough has risen, punch down and roll out to a 14 x 10 inch rectangle.

Spray a cast iron skillet with cooking spray.

For the filling, take the 1/2 cup of butter and spread over rolled out dough.

Mix together brown sugar, coconut, pecans, cinnamon, cocoa and salt in a small bowl, then sprinkle over buttered dough.

Roll up dough into log (14 inches will be the length) and then cut into about 1.5 inch pieces - should end up with about 9.

I use a very sharp knife and then reshape the rolls into circles as I place them into the skillet, but some people like to use plain floss or string - they don't get as squashed this way.

After all rolls have been placed neatly into skillet cover and let rise again until double in size (about 45 minutes) - they should all be touching each other after.

Bake rolls at 350F for about 30 minutes or until done.

Prepare caramel topping while rolls bake.

Caramel

In a medium pot over medium-high heat, melt butter, then stir in sugar, cream, honey and salt.

Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce and let simmer until thick and glossy.

When sweet rolls are done, pour caramel immediately over the rolls and let them sit for about 15-20 minutes, then serve. Enjoy!

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