More Cold Weather Cooking - Cinnamon Buns - Part 1

A version of the above photo was in the Chicago Tribune a few years ago.

With the arrival of Fall on September 23, the outdoor cooking season is growing to a close. We can continue to BBQ for a while longer and I'll post two different styles of gas BBQs I use.

With the arrival of cooler weather it is time to think about baking. G beat me to the punch this year and made apple pie with fresh Cortland and Honey Crisp apples from Michigan.

When it does finally drop below 40F that will be the signal to begin serious baking.

One of my favorites is home made cinnamon buns. This is the first in a series of videos on making cinnamon buns. I've used a variety of recipes, but my preference has been adapted from a 1967 edition of the Joy of Cooking, which I own. I've experimented over the years and made modifications. I now have a recipe which is consistently delicious, isn't overly "yeasty" and can be tweaked to be lighter, reduce calories and add nuts, etc. However, my basic recipe has some lemon rind in the dough with raisins and a small amount of candied fruit. It is allowed to rise several times and by altering the time will be lighter and fluffier. I also modify the amount of butter,etc. but most people prefer the real McCoy,

Part one is making the yeast sponge.