Cinnamon Rolls for 100

The U.S. Armed Forces recipe for cinnamon rolls is designed to yield 100 servings, or 5 rows of 8 rolls each on 2-1/2 full-sized sheet pans. I like to place 6 rows of 8 rolls to yield 48 rolls per sheet pan. As you can see in yesterday's pictures, the rolls proof higher.

For 2004 camp, I baked 1-1/2 recipes of cinnamon rolls. My yield was 163 rolls on 3-1/2 sheet pans. According to my records, 150 campers took 128 rolls before I offered seconds. An additional 21 campers took seconds on rolls. Although we had 14 rolls leftover, none made it to the end of the day!

CINNAMON ROLLS

U.S. Armed Forces Recipe Service card number D-36-4.

6-3/4 ounces active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
3 cups water
1 pounds 4 ounces whole eggs, beaten
1 pounds 2 ounces sugar
1-3/4 ounces nonfat dry milk
3 tablespoons salt
7 pounds 14 ounces bread flour
14-1/2 ounces shortening, softened

Cinnamon sugar filling (makes about 4-1/2 cups):
1 ounce cinnamon
1 pound brown sugar

Vanilla glaze (Makes about 2-3/4 cups):
1 pound 10 ounces powdered sugar, shifted
1-1/2 ounces butter, softened
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sprinkle yeast over the warm water. Do not use temperatures above 110 degrees F. Mix well and let stand 5 minutes; stir. Set aside.

Place water (second listed), eggs, sugar, milk and salt in mixer bowl. Using dough hook, mix at low speed just until blended. Add flour and yeast solution. Mix at low speed 1 minute or until all flour mixture is incorporated into liquid.

Add shortening; mix at low speed 1 minute. Continue mixing at medium speed 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Dough temperature should be between 78 degrees F to 82 degrees F.

FERMENT: Cover. Set in warm place (80 degrees F) about 1-1/2 hours or until double in bulk.

PUNCH: Divide dough into 3 pieces, shape into a rectangular piece. Let rest 10 to 20 minutes.

MAKE-UP: Roll each 4-pound 5 ounce piece of dough into a rectangular sheet, about 18 inches wide, 36 inches long, and 1/4-inch thick. Melt butter or margarine. Brush 1/2-cup on each sheet of dough. Set aside remainder.

Combine cinnamon and brown sugar for cinnamon-sugar filling. Sprinkle 1-1/2 cups cinnamon sugar mixture over each sheet of dough. Roll each piece tightly to make a long slender roll. Seal edges by pressing firmly. Elongate roll to 35 inches by rolling back and forth on work table. Brush 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine on each roll. Slice each roll into 34 pieces about 1 inch wide, using dough cutter. Place cut side down on lightly greased sheet pans in rows 5 by 8.

PROOF: Proof at 90 to 100 degrees F until double in bulk. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown or in 325 degrees F convection oven 15 minutes on high fan, open vent. Cool.

Combine powdered sugar, butter, boiling water and vanilla to form glaze; mix until smooth. Brush about 1 cup glaze on rolls in each pan.

Notes: Serve 1-roll portions. Sprinkle 2 lbs chopped pecans or 10-1/4 ounces plumped raisins over the cinnamon sugar filling during make-up. Granulated sugar may be substituted for brown sugar in cinnamon-sugar filling.