By Tracey
Ruby Red Cinnamon Rolls
barely adapted from The Homesick Texan
Ingredients:
Dough
- 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water (about 110 F)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Ruby Red grapefruit zest
- 1/2 cup Ruby Red grapefruit juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Ruby Red grapefruit zest
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Icing
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup Ruby Red grapefruit juice
- 2 teaspoons Ruby Red grapefruit zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions:
To make the rolls: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the yeast, water, grapefruit zest, grapefruit juice, sugar, salt, egg, butter and 1 cup of the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until a lump batter comes together. Add the remaining flour and mix (still by hand) until a soft dough comes together – it may be sticky, that’s fine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
Fit the mixer with the dough hook, and attach the bowl. Knead the dough on low speed for about 5 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. The dough will probably stick to the bottom of the bowl, but should clear the sides as it is kneaded (if necessary, you can add a little more flour). Turn the dough out onto your work surface and shape it into a ball. Place in a bowl that’s been sprayed with cooking spray, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon and zest together for the filling. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into roughly a 9×13-inch rectangle. Spread the butter evenly over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the top. With a long side facing you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder, pinching the ends to seal. Cut 14 or 15 1-inch slices from the cylinder and transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover the pan and let the rolls rise for an hour.
While they’re rising, preheat the oven to 375 F. Bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. While the rolls are in the oven, make the icing by whisking together the confectioners’ sugar, butter, grapefruit juice, grapefruit zest, vanilla and salt. Transfer the pan to a wire rack, and while the rolls are still warm, spread the icing over them. The rolls are best shortly after they’re made, but you can pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds the following day to refresh them.
