Hummingbird Cinnamon Buns Food

HUMMINGBIRD CINNAMON BUNS

Steps:

• To prepare the dough, heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until temperature reaches 110 to 115 degrees F (43 to 46 degrees C). Pour milk into a small mixing bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon white sugar. Sprinkle yeast over milk mixture and whisk to combine; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in egg yolks.
• Combine all-purpose flour, bread flour, potato flakes, salt, and remaining 5 tablespoons white sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Add the milk mixture. Turn the mixer on at medium-low speed. Add butter pieces, one at a time, until all are fully incorporated. Increase speed to medium or medium-high and knead until dough is soft and smooth. This can take a few minutes; don't lose patience if the dough doesn't come together immediately.
• Coat the bottom and sides of a large mixing bowl with more butter. Form the dough into a ball and place into the greased bowl, turning the dough to coat with butter from the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Punch the dough down after it's risen. Place on a lightly floured surface and let rest, 15 to 20 minutes.
• To prepare the filling, combine banana, brown sugar, butter, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, ginger, and salt in a medium mixing bowl; beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until well combined.
• Roll the dough out into a 12x18-inch rectangle. Spread the filling mixture evenly over the surface of the dough using a rubber spatula. Sprinkle pecans evenly over the filling. Starting with the long side, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Place seam-side down and cut crosswise into 12 even slices.
• Place the rounds into a buttered 9x13-inch baking dish, crowding them so they touch. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove plastic wrap from the buns.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven, rotating pan halfway through baking, until buns are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before frosting.
• To prepare frosting, combine cream cheese and butter in a medium mixing bowl; beat with an electric mixer until combined and fluffy. Beat in confectioner's sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir in pineapple until well combined. Spread the icing over the warm cinnamon rolls. Sprinkle with pecans.

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour.
• Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop. Toss with the bananas, pineapple and 1/2 cup flour in a small bowl.
• Whisk the remaining 2 1/4 cups flour, the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a separate bowl with a mixer on high speed until thick and light, 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the vegetable oil.
• Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg mixture, then gently fold to make a thick batter. Fold in the pecan-fruit mixture, then transfer the batter to the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are firm and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool in the pans on a rack, 25 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer until fluffy, then gradually beat in the butter until combined. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
• Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread about half of the frosting on top, then cover with the other cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
• Photograh by Stephanie Foley

GLAZED CINNAMON-CARDAMOM BUNS

Steps:

• For the Dough:
• Heat milk in a small saucepan over low until just warm; an instant-read thermometer should register 105°F-115°F. Pour into the large bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk in yeast and let sit until foamy, 10-15 minutes. You should see a layer of foam on the surface; this means that the yeast is active.
• Add egg, egg yolk, flour, granulated sugar, cardamom, and salt to yeast mixture and mix with dough hook on low speed until well combined. Increase speed to medium and continue to mix until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Gradually add butter 1 Tbsp. at a time, mixing to incorporate slightly before adding more. When 6 Tbsp. butter are incorporated, mix until dough is smooth, supple, and shiny, 10-15 minutes longer (you need to mix this long to develop the gluten).
• Transfer dough to a large buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, 1-1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down, cover bowl tightly in plastic wrap, and chill overnight (the slow proof creates more flavor because it gives the yeast more time to process the sugar).
• For the Filling and Assembly:
• Mix butter, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a medium bowl until combined.
• Have your tools and filling nearby; you want to work quickly and keep dough as chilled as possible to make rolling more manageable. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper and roll to a 1/4"-thick rectangle, about 16"x12". Cover with plastic and chill until dough is firm, 30-60 minutes.
• Spread butter mixture over two-thirds of dough. Fold plain side over the middle, then fold opposite third over (like folding an envelope). Roll to a 12"x8" rectangle about 1/2" thick. Slice lengthwise into eight 1"-thick strips.
• Working one at a time, lay strip on clean work surface with long side facing you. Using your palms, gently twist each end in opposite directions until entire strip is spiraled. Hold one end of strip between a thumb and index finger. Working away from you, tightly wrap strip around 3 fingers. Wrap around fingers again, placing second loop closer to the palm of your hand. As you bring strip across the back of your hand, cross over first loop, angling toward the end of your index finger. Cross dough over front of your hand and tuck the end into the center while removing your fingers and pushing through to the other side to create a knot. Check out step-by-step photos here. You want to twist these tightly so that they rise while baking. If you're having trouble, twist them into any kind of knot that you can-just make sure it's wrapped tightly.
• Divide cinnamon twists between 2 rimmed baking sheets, spacing evenly apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, 45-60 minutes.
• Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 325°F. Bake cinnamon buns, rotating pans from top to bottom halfway through, until deeply golden brown, 25-30 minutes.
• Bring remaining 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Generously brush syrup over hot buns. If you like a sweeter pastry, wait 5 minutes, then brush again.
• Do Ahead: Buns can be made 2 days ahead. Tightly wrap with plastic and store at room temperature.

HUMMINGBIRD FOOD

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil.
• Take the water off the heat and add the sugar.
• Stir to dissolve completely.
• Let the nectar cool.
• Place in a clean hummingbird feeder and hang outside for the birds.
• Note:.
• Change the food at least every three to five days with a new batch to keep it fresh. Remember don't use food coloring.
• Check the bird feeder regularly and every time you change the food to see if any gray mold has formed inside the feeder base, or, any ants have crawled inside to get at the sugar water.
• If you see any take the feeder down and throw the bird food away. It's not good for the birds to drink this. Chances are they won't drink it anyway.
• Clean the hummingbird feeder by rinsing with warm water. Then, put a few drops of bleach into the water inside the feeder and clean with a bottle brush.
• Once clean, rinse thoroughly with fresh water and let dry.
• Fill up with new food and place outside.
• The birds will love you for it!

THE BEST HOMEMADE HUMMINGBIRD FOOD

Steps:

• Boil your water on the stove for 1 minute.
• Remove the water from the stove and stir in the sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Allow the mixture to come to room temperature.
• Fill your humming bird feeder as directed on individual instructions.
• Store leftover sugar water in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

QUICK AND EASY CINNAMON BUNS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small pan or in a bowl in the microwave.
• Lightly grease a large baking tray with the extra butter.
• To make the glaze, mix 3 tablespoons of the melted butter in a bowl with the icing sugar and vanilla paste. Add the boiling water and 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk and stir to combine. Cover and chill.
• To make the cinnamon filling, mix 3 tablespoons of the melted butter with the cinnamon, mixed spice and both types of sugar. Add a pinch of salt, then stir the mixture together until it resembles wet sand. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• To make the dough, combine the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a mixing bowl and add a generous pinch of salt. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and pour in the remaining melted butter and the rest of the buttermilk. Stir with a rubber spatula until fully combined. The dough might seem dry, but keep stirring until the dry ingredients absorb the wet - the dough will be shaggy, not smooth, at this point.
• Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 3-4 minutes. When ready, the dough will look smooth and have a slight shine, and you will feel it is more elastic. Flour the work surface again and pat the dough out to a rough 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 in) rectangle. Sprinkle the filling in an even layer over the dough, leaving a rough 1 cm (½ in) border. Press the filling into the dough. Roll up the dough lengthways up as tightly as you can, to form a long sausage shape. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
• Transfer the buns to the prepared tray, cut-side up, leaving about 2 cm (¾ in) between each. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed up, golden and sticky. Cool for 30 minutes, then remove the glaze from the refrigerator and spread over the buns. Serve immediately or let the glaze set.
• Make ahead
• Make the glaze first and leave it to stand in the refrigerator. As the glaze cools, the butter begins to set and thicken, so it resembles a cream-cheese frosting. Make the buns a day ahead and reheat in the oven without the glaze.
• The shortcut
• No yeast translates to 1 ½ hours of your life back. You're welcome. Pat the dough out; don't bother dirtying your rolling pin.