Mother's Day is this Sunday, May 11, as every flower farmer and florist is deliriously aware. Fresh, locally-grown flowers never miss as a gift, but the traditional breakfast in bed can be a fraught proposition. Well-meaning partners and children conjuring up half-raw waffles heaped on sticky trays can warm a Mom's heart while leaving her stomach empty.
Instead, get busy on Saturday with Chief Operations Office and former pro pastry chef Thomas McCurdy's delectable Overnight Maple-Glazed Cinnamon Rolls. These warm-from-the-oven treats were a huge hit at Thomas and Bailey's signature "Brunch & Blooms" events at Ardelia Farm in Vermont. A helper adult or deputized teenager can assist kids in building the dough and glaze for the cinnamon rolls–a perfect opportunity to talk about how much our maternal figures and mentors do to take care of the family every day of the year.
Pro Tip: If you don't have a stand mixer, you can certainly make this recipe by hand. Kneading dough is fun but will certainly make the flour fly, so don't forget to tidy up after! No Mom likes to clean up after her own Mother's Day breakfast.
Let us know in the comments if you give them a try! Happy Mother's Day!
Overnight Maple Glazed Cinnamon Rolls
by Thomas McCurdy
Yield: 12 rolls
Ingredients
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon table salt
1 packet (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (approximately 110°)
2 large eggs
3 3/4 cups (510 grams) all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
Combine milk, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, and salt in a small saucepan and heat gently over medium heat, stirring, just until the butter is melted. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool to lukewarm. Meanwhile, place the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water, and stir to combine. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Add the milk mixture, eggs, and flour to the mixer, and knead with the dough hook attachment on medium speed until it forms a dough that is silky smooth and no longer sticky (about 5 to 7 minutes). The dough will still be quite soft. If it is still a bit sticky, add an additional tablespoon of flour.
Transfer the dough to your work surface and shape into a smooth ball. Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, approximately one hour.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and shape it into a rectangle approximately 12 inches by 18 inches, with the long side facing you. With a spatula, smear the soft butter all over the surface of the dough, leaving the top half inch of the dough unbuttered, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Starting with the edge closest to you, roll the dough away from you into a tight cylinder, ending with the unbuttered end, then gently pinch the seam to seal. Place the roll seam side down on a cutting board, then use a serrated knife to carefully cut it into 12 individual cinnamon rolls, each approximately 1½ inches thick. Place the cinnamon rolls on a parchment-lined half sheet pan, spacing them evenly, and cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap. Transfer to the refrigerator and refrigerate overnight and up to 16 hours. Alternately, you can proof the buns at room temperature for 1 hour.
When ready to bake, remove the pan from the refrigerator and let stand for 1 hour (skip this step if you proofed at room temperature). Preheat the oven to 350ºF and position a baking rack in the center of the oven.
Remove the plastic from the pan, transfer to the oven and bake until the rolls begin turn pale golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. The center of the cinnamon roll should bounce back when gently pressed. Remove from the oven and let the rolls cool completely before glazing.
For the glaze
Ingredients
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
Pinch kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the glaze, whisk together the maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, cream, and salt in a small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking now and again, until the mixture thickens a bit and darkens in color. Carefully whisk in vanilla (the mixture will bubble up), whisking until smooth. Gently dunk the tops into the glaze. If any glaze remains, give them a second coat.