The shops are finally re-opening and what better way to celebrate the occasion than a visit the greatest Swedish invention in the world – IKEA!  I have not been struck with the desire to rush out and buy new clothes, my haircut is past redemption but the glorious weather has highlighted how dilapidated and probably dangerous our garden furniture is.  No further reason was needed for child free trip to Ikea for a good GRÖNKULLA or maybe a SPARSAM or a DAGSTORP.

As could have been predicted, the queues were epic, the staff unfailingly polite and I ended up coming hope with about 30 things that hadn’t been on my list (you have to spend to save right?).  

The best bit about a trip to Ikea has to be picking up some just-baked cinnamon rolls to take home (or usually I just scoff them in the car on the way home) but horror of horrors – they had run out!!  What was a girl to do in such a situation?  Well this girl went home and obsessively researched and tried out recipes before coming up with the best cinnamons roll recipe ever.  Simple ingredients, straightforward method and the result?  Squidgy, soft, crunchy topped swirls of heaven.  Excuse me while I go for a drive so I can eat them in peace…….

CINNAMON ROLLS

This recipe makes 40 rolls – enough for even the greediest of us to share a few with our family.

Filling

100g softened butter

80g caster sugar

2 tbs cinnamon powder

Topping

1 x beaten egg

2tbs sugar

Place the butter, milk and sugar in a saucepan over a low heat until the butter has melted.  Check that the liquid is the right temperature (high heat will destroy the yeast) by putting your finger into the milk – it should feel warm but not so hot you can’t keep your finger in it.  Stir in the sachet of yeast (you may need to use a whisk to break up any lumps of yeast).

Measure the flour and salt into a large bowl, make a well in the centre and pour in the milk mixture.  Mix with a spoon until it forms a dough.

Rub a little bit of oil onto a piece of cling film and put it oiled side onto the dough (the cling film stops the dough’s surface from drying out and the oil stops the cling film from sticking to the dough) and place somewhere warm (like an airing cupboard or a warming drawer) for 20-30minutes until it has risen (roughly double in size).

Whilst the dough is proving, make your filling by combining the soft butter with the sugar and cinnamon powder. NB 2tbs seems like a LOT of cinnamon but trust the recipe – it isn’t overpowering.

Cut the dough in half and place half on a floured surface and roll it out (as close to a rectangle shape as you can) until it is roughly 45x30cm.  

NB you do not have to be accurate but you need it to be thin enough that you get several layers in your roll – my first batch was too thick and my second batch was nowhere near rectangular but it is important to leave room for improvement!  

Spread it with HALF the filling mixture and then gently (not too tightly) roll up your dough to form a long sausage.

Slice the ‘sausage’ into 20 even slices and arrange them slightly spaced (they will expand) on a lined baking tin and put back in the warm place for another 20-30mins until they have risen again.

Repeat the process with the second batch of dough.

Pre-heat the oven to 230OC.

Once the rolls have risen again, brush them with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake in the oven for 8-10mins until golden on top.