Final Blow Out for 2010 - Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

This is icing on the cake for all of the excesses of 2010. For those vegan doubters, believe me when I say that vegan baked goods are totally awesome. Especially homemade cinnamon rolls. This is a modified version of the cinnamon roll recipe from Vegan Brunch by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (a cookbook worthy of your home library). I simply cannot bake without using whole wheat and specialty grain flours. I substituted some of the white flour with white whole wheat and spelt flour. Mmmmmm!

Ingredients for Dough
2-1/4 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water
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1-3/4 cup unbleached white flour
3/4 cup spelt flour
3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
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3/4 cup non-dairy milk, room temperature
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Ingredients for Filling
1/4 brown sugar
1/4 white sugar
1 TB cinnamon
2 TB flour
Mix together in small bowl and set aside.
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2-4 TB Earth Balance vegan margarine, room temperature

Ingredients for Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
2-4 TB non-dairy milk
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all together in small bowl after the rolls have baked.

Directions
Combine yeast, water, and teaspoon of sugar in small bowl. Give it a swirl and let sit until it gets foamy - 2-3 minutes.

When yeast is ready, put in bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment. Add all of the dough ingredients and mix until combined. If too sticky, add about 1/4 cup of white flour until it forms a ball and comes away from the side of bowl.

Take off paddle and use hook to knead dough until it's pliable and smooth, about 5 minutes. (If you prefer, you can mix in a large bowl and knead by hand.) Put in oiled bowl, turn to coat and cover with plastic wrap or towel until doubled in size - about an hour.

Punch dough down and let sit for about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make filling. Roll dough out into 12x18 rectangle. Either spread the dough with the Earth Balance or just dot the dough with small pieces of margarine. I like to spread the margarine and then sprinkle the filling over it. I usually have filling left over because I prefer a less sweet roll. Roll up rightly from long end. Cut in half, and then half again, and then into thirds to have 12 equal pieces. Place cut side down in a 10-inch pan, cover and let rise for an hour. Bake 18-22 minutes until lightly brown. Let cool a bit and drizzle topping ingredients over it.

knead dough until it's pliable and smooth

put in oiled bowl

Roll dough out into 12x18 rectangle

roll up rightly from long end

place cut side down in a 10-inch pan

Bake 18-22 minutes until lightly brown.