Cinnamon Twists

Love is like cinnamon rolls. They both require effort, but the effort is always worth it. There's a sweetness in the commitment to something worthwhile. 

Right now the snow is falling outside my window in large, beautiful puffs. There is a burlap banner strung across the window with painted pink and red and white hearts. My children have appropriately decorated socks on and my sweet newborn is wearing a beautiful red dress. There is a potted rose blooming on the table and various valentines are scattered across the table. My favorite is the one my dad sent to my son, the words "I feel Dumpy without you" hovering above the cartoon dump truck. I'm planning on making my husband's favorite chocolate pudding soon and there's a nice supper started. But these things don't really make Valentine's Day, do they? 

A good friend posted this morning about helping her adult daughter out with her children while her daughter caught a nap. She summed up the morning with the phrase, "If you love someone, let them sleep." This resonates with me right now, because with a 3 week old in the house, sleep is coming at a premium these days.

This past week was the first "on my own." My mom left about a week ago and it was my first week seeing if I could do this mom-of-multiple-children thing. It was a good week overall, but a long one. In order to help Brad be alert for work, I did the night shift every night all week long. 

But then came Friday night. And my dear, sweet husband let me sleep last night while he held an awake little girl for an hour in the middle of the night. And then he got up early this morning with the energetic 2 year old boy while I slept in. They went and got me chocolates. And valentines. 

Sleep. Glorious sleep. We won't be going out tonight and my husband didn't get me flowers this year, but he gave me something better, sacrificing his own comfort and sleep so that I could get mine. For me, today, this is love.

Truly, "If you love someone, let them sleep."

Cinnamon Twists

Makes 24 twists

Total Time: 1 hour prep, 2 - 24 hours rise time, 40 - 50 minutes cook time

Dough:

4 - 5 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

4 1/2 tsp yeast (2 packages)

1 cup milk

2/3 cup water

1/4 cup butter, cut into tablespoons

2 eggs

Filling:

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 T. butter, melted

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 - 2 T. milk

1/4 tsp. vanilla

Start by combining 2 cups of the flour with the sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a standing mixer.

Combine milk, butter and water and heat until mixture reaches 110 - 120 degrees

An instant read thermometer is really handy, but you can also test the temperature by sticking your finger in the mixture. You should be able to leave your finger in for 1 - 2 seconds before you have to remove it because it's too hot. 

Pour milk mixture into the standing mixer and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. 

Add the eggs.

And beat on high, for another 2 minutes. 

Add enough flour, 2 - 3 cups to make a soft, but kneadable dough. 

Turn dough out onto lightly floured counter.

Knead for 8 - 10 minutes, until dough is soft and elastic.

You can also knead in your standing mixer if you'd rather. Use a dough hook and knead on medium speed for 5 - 8 minutes, until soft and elastic. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead by hand a few times and shape into a ball. 

Cover kneaded dough with a wet tea towel and let rest for 20 minutes. 

In the meantime, mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and melt 2 T. butter.

After dough has rested, divide dough in half.

Roll out one of the halves into a 12-inch square.

Brush the dough with half of the melted butter.

Spread 6 T. of cinnamon sugar mixture across two-thirds of the dough.

Fold one-third of the dough over the center third and then fold over once more. 

You should have a 12-inch long "log" of three layers of dough with cinnamon mixture between each layer. 

Using a pizza cutter or bench scraper, cut the log into 4 equal sections.

And then cut each section into thirds. 

So you will have twelve slices, each 1 inch wide.

Holding onto each end of a slice, twist in opposite directions.

Place in a 9 x 13 and an 8 x 8 pan (or whatever combination of pan sizes works for you!)

They can be arranged any which way. I usually even twist one into a circle. 

Repeat process with remaining half of dough: 

Roll into a square, spread with rest of butter and rest of cinnamon mixture (as in pictures above). Then cut, twist and place in the pan. 

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 or up to 24 hours.

When you are ready to bake them, remove plastic wrap and let sit on counter for 10 - 20 minutes, while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes at 350 degrees until twists are golden brown.

Mix together powdered sugar, milk and vanilla to create a thin frosting. 

Drizzle over the cinnamon twists. 

Serve warm!

Recipe from The Frugal Girl, which she got from an old Fleischmann's Yeast cookbook.