Sweet Knots Food

CINNAMON LOVE KNOTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add the milk, butter, sugar, eggs and salt. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough flour to form a stiff dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. , Punch dough down; divide into three portions. Cover two with plastic wrap. Shape one portion into 12 balls. Roll each ball into an 8-in. rope. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Dip rope into melted butter, then coat with cinnamon-sugar. Tie into a knot. Tuck and pinch ends under and place on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.

KNOTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla using an electric mixer on medium speed. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, Gradually stir into the mixture by hand using a large spoon. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead to make a soft elastic dough, about 5 minutes. Cover the dough and let rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Break off small pieces of dough and roll into small ropes about 4 inches long and 1/4 inch wide. Twist the ropes into loose knots or braids. place them 1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. When cool, frost with a simple confectioners' glaze.

CAPPUCCINO KNOTS

Steps:

• Make the knots: Put the melted butter in a bowl. Whisk the granulated sugar and espresso powder in another bowl.
• Butter a 12-cup muffin pan. Divide the dough into 12 pieces; roll each piece into an 8-to-9-inch rope. Dip 1 piece of dough in the butter, letting the excess drip off, then roll in the espresso sugar. Tie the dough into a knot. Place in a muffin cup with one end of the knot facing up. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour, 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the knots until puffed and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pan.
• Meanwhile, make the glazes: Whisk 1 cup confectioners' sugar and the espresso powder in a medium bowl; add 1/4 cup heavy cream and whisk until smooth, adding more cream if necessary. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar with the remaining 2 tablespoons cream until smooth. Transfer the white glaze to a resealable plastic bag.
• Remove the knots from the pan and dip the tops in the espresso glaze; let set 5 minutes. Snip a small corner of the bag with the white glaze and pipe over the knots.
• Warm 1/2 cup water and the milk in a saucepan over low heat until a thermometer registers 100 degrees F to 110 degrees F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the yeast on top, then sprinkle with a pinch of the sugar; set aside, undisturbed, until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture until combined. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, the remaining sugar, the salt and nutmeg. Make a well in the center, then add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to make a thick and slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Shape into a ball.
• Brush a large bowl with butter. Add the dough, turning to coat lightly with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour, 15 minutes.
• Turn the dough out of the bowl and knead briefly to release excess air; re-form into a ball and return to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap and lay it directly on the surface of the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

BRAIDED CINNAMON ROLL KNOTS

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, yeast and 1 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
• Combine the milk and 4 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan and heat over medium until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and let cool until the milk mixture is about 120 degrees F. Beat in the eggs.
• Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix on medium speed until all the flour is incorporated, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to high and mix until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. Grease a medium bowl with butter and add the ball of dough, flipping to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, whisk the brown sugar, cinnamon and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the remaining 6 tablespoons butter until well combined and spreadable; set aside.
• Generously flour a work surface and roll the dough out into a 12-by-15-inch rectangle with one of the shorter ends closest to you. Spread the brown sugar mixture evenly over the dough all the way to the edges. Fold the edge closest to you up and over a third of the way, then fold the top edge down to cover it like a letter. Pinch the edges closed to seal in the filling. Flip it over the dough so the seam is on the bottom and roll again into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle.
• Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into twelve 1-inch-wide strips. Working one at a time and starting 1/2 inch in from one end, cut each strip of dough lengthwise into 3 smaller strips so they remained attached at the top. Braid the three strips together, lightly pinch the ends and gently roll the braid into a spiral. Tuck the rolled dough into a nonstick muffin tin with the uncut end at the bottom of the cup and the braided side up. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover the tin with plastic wrap and put in a warm place until puffy, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake the cinnamon rolls, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a wire cooling rack.
• Whisk the confectioners' sugar, cream and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth and spread on the rolls while they are still warm.