Lemon cardamom sweet deliciousness rolls
I love lemon. I love cardamom. I love brioche. I think I've made my spirit dessert -- lemon cardamom sweet rolls with lemon cream cheese icing. It is basically a fun spin on cinnamon rolls. And, I love a cinnamon roll, did I mention that?
This sweet recipe is by Yossy Arefi, the brains behind Apt 2B Baking Co. I stumbled upon it on the NYT Cooking instagram page, and was immediately drawn to the the recipe, needing to make it for myself. Turns out this is a keeper, and a mega hit at home! It's pretty difficult pleasing everyone, and even if they like something, they may not necessarily eat it again, but this one, is different. I've already been handed requests for different icing flavors, different fillings to explore since it seems sweet rolls are a household love over here - who actually knew!
Sweet rolls have a special place in my heart, because the first time I came to know what one was, was thanks to a little Cinnabon in a random strip plaza parking lot in Saudi Arabia. I know that wasn't what you were expecting to read, amiright? Way back when, my parents were posted to Riyadh for work, so there were many years living a life that was starkly different to the rest of the world, and as a young child, trying to understand our Kurdish history and heritage, versus where we were being raised, versus the wild wild West. My time in Saudi taught me a lot though, because it was the opposite of what life means, how one should view the world and understand both sides, knowing what is fairness and ultimately, balance. I think that's why I do cherish being raised somewhere so stringent and restricting, especially back in the '90s, because I believe it allowed me to have a better perspective of strikingly different cultures, but also use those tools and knowledge against the culture I live in today. Back to my sweet tooth though! That particular Cinnabon was one my dad would drive us to every weekend, as a special treat. We would indulge in the 12 pack Mini Bon rolls, devoured in no less than 5mins, and every time we would pray that more would magically turn up in the backseats of our red Volvo.
Nonetheless, those treasured memories would remain with me, and be something that I'd look back at, every time I enjoyed a cinnamon roll in the future. I don't often order a cinnamon roll or bake them, but they are definitely something I love and appreciate, because they are a window of nostalgia for me. I bake to make memories and nourish a desire. I've mentioned before how dough making is sensual, it's all about touch, and that is pretty similar for sweet rolls. There is the dough part to the process, but there is also the layering of soft butter followed by the sugar mix that is best applied with hands. There are tons of recipes and images I have come across that say to use a brush to apply the butter, but it seemed to be less efficient. Instead, I decided to use my hands to do the spreading, taking extra care and gently spreading across the dough, which in turn proved to be worth it. There's no need to be scared of getting your hands dirty when baking, that's a big part of the process!
I've also become accustomed to using recipes as a guide. They're a tool, almost like an outline of how you should do the step by step process, but in no means limiting or blocking you from making adjustments or trying your own things out. That's why when looking through a recipe, before diving in, I like to think through where I might need to shift or make an adjustment, because I know I may not have the same tools, or my oven could be weaker, or maybe it's even the surfaces and ingredients I have to work with that aren't exact. There is always trial and error in anything, but confidence allows you to trust your process (cheesy - I know!) in the kitchen, and if something does feel wrong, make sure to follow your instinct or research on the go (which is what I'm constantly doing, especially when doing measurement conversions thanks to the world wide handy web). The only thing I would have changed to this recipe now that I've made is the quantity. I prefer eating things fresh - who doesn't - but we're not an overly sweet tooth family, so after a couple of days the novelty wears off, even if it's the best damn thing. So I like to make sure something is around for a couple of days, but no more, due to freshness. This batch makes about 12-13 rolls depending on your cuts, which amongst 3 people can be quite a bit to finish after 4 days (these rolls are big)! So, halving this would have been smarter, so that it didn't lose it's freshness, which is key with any baked goods, especially rolls -- when you lose the elasticity in the dough as you pull one apart from the other, you know it's a sign it's old.
So, depending on how often you do eat sweet things, or how many people you may be serving, just think about quantity too. I am often halving recipes, due to our family size right now, and sometimes it is worth it to do. Don't worry about making your own recipe adjustments - it is your thing and kitchen after all!