Both their buttery dough and rich, creamy almond filling make these cinnamon bun-style brioche rolls stand out from the crowd. Our thanks to Master Baker Jeffrey Hamelman for sharing this recipe with us.
To prepare the filling: Beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and lightened in color, about 3 to 4 minutes at high speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl midway through to incorporate any residue.
Add the almond flour and cinnamon, stirring to incorporate.
Add the 3 eggs and beat until smooth, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary. Refrigerate the filling until you’re ready to use it.
To make the rolls: Lightly grease a 9” round cake pan.
Gently deflate the risen dough, and portion off 400g (a generous half) of the dough. Make rolls or small loaves with the remainder, if desired. Or make additional cinnamon rolls; see “tips,” below.
Place the chilled dough on a lightly greased or floured work surface, and roll it into a 10” x 14” rectangle about 1/4” thick.
Brush a 1/2” strip of the beaten egg/water along one of the long edges of the dough. Spread the filling evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving the egg/water strip uncovered.
Starting with the long edge opposite the edge with the egg, roll into a log. Cut the log into seven equal pieces. Place six pieces around the perimeter of the pan, and one in the center.
Cover the pan and let the rolls rise for about 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours, or until they’re noticeably puffy. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Uncover the rolls and bake them until they’re golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. While the rolls are baking, make the glaze.
To make the glaze: Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a small bowl. Whisk in the water and lime juice. Let the glaze rest, undisturbed, while the rolls are baking.
Remove the baked rolls from the oven. Whisk the glaze to recombine, and immediately brush it over the rolls in the pan. Let the rolls cool slightly, then remove them from the pan and serve warm.
Store leftover rolls, well wrapped, at room temperature for a couple of days; freeze for longer storage.
Want to make a double batch of rolls? Use all of the prepared brioche dough and double the amount of both filling and glaze. Divide the dough in half, roll each half into a 9" x 15" rectangle, and assemble and bake the rolls as directed above. The rolls will be slightly smaller than if you’d made just a single batch.
For added flavor, sprinkle chopped nuts and golden raisins atop the almond cream filling before rolling the dough into a log.
Join master baker Jeffrey Hamelman as he demonstrates how to make Brioche Cinnamon Rolls with Almond Cream from start to finish. Watch Episode 9 of the Isolation Baking Show now.
