Dougherty Family Recipe Box: Cinnamon Buns (Brioche)

This recipe needs to be started the day before it is baked.

Whisk together water, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon yeast, 1/2 cup flour, and 1 egg until smooth (about 3 minutes).
In a separate bowl, mix together flour, sugar, dry yeast, and salt.
Sprinkle the dry mixture on top of the sponge.
Cover and let sit for 2 hours at room temperature.
Using a stand mixer with dough hook, add the 2 eggs to the batter while mixing on low.
Increase speed to medium and mix for about 2 minutes.
Scrape bowl, and continue mixing for 5 minutes.
Add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting for butter to become incorporated before adding more.
Cover and let rise until doubled (about 2 hours).
Refrigerate dough for 1 hours.
Deflate dough and put back in fridge for another 1 hour.
Remove dough from fridge.
On a floured surface, press dough into a rectangle and give two business letter turns.
Wrap loosely in plastic and put back in fridge for at least 6 hours (up to 2 days).
Remove dough from fridge and roll out into a long rectangle on a floured surface.

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Line a 9x13 cake pan with parchment paper.
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon.
Brush dough with melted butter, leaving a 1 inch strip at the bottom.
Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the butter.
Roll dough one turn at a time, being careful to keep the dough even and to keep filling from spilling out sides.
Trim ends and cut finished roll into 12 equal segments.
Place segments in pan.
Cover with a damp tea towel and let rise 1 hour.
Bake until thermometer inserted in centre reads 190°F (about 15 minutes; burns very quickly, be very, very careful not to overbake).
Remove from oven and let cool.

2016-09-05