Cinnamon Buns

I had to prepare this recipe for homework for my cooking class.  It's a little work-intensive (at least for a college student that's used to prepackaged food) but well-worth it!  I got a dozen buns out of this recipe but you may end up with more or less depending on how thin you roll the dough and how thick you cut the rolls from the log.


Materials
1 Large mixing bowl (for dough)
1 Microwave-safe Medium mixing bowl (for glaze)
2 Small bowls (one for preparing yeast, one for beating egg)
Wooden spoon
Whisk
Dental floss or string, at least 9 in. (for cutting the dough)
2 cookie sheets
Rolling pin
Measuring cups and spoons
Oven
Microwave
Any kind of cooking spray or oil to coat the cookie sheets
Space to roll out the dough

Ingredients
Dough
1 cup hot water
1 t. salt
1 1/2 T. shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 beaten egg
3-4 cups flour
1 T. yeast dissolved in 2 T. warm water with 1 t. sugar.

Cinnamon Filling
4 T. Melted butter
Brown sugar (to taste)
Cinnamon (to taste)
Nutmeg (to taste)
Ginger (to taste)
(I recommend using mostly brown sugar, about half as much cinnamon, and just a dash or two of nutmeg and ginger.)

Glaze
2 T. softened butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
2 T. milk


Process
1.  Prepare yeast with water and sugar and set aside to soften.
2.  Combine hot water, salt, sugar and shortening in a bowl.  Cool to lukewarm.
3.  When cooled, add softened yeast mixture.
4.  Add the egg and two cups of flour.  Beat well.
5.  Gradually knead the rest of the flour into the dough until it forms a stiff (though not hard) ball.
6.  Knead the ball 8-10 times.
7.  Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
8.  Roll the dough to 1/2 in. thick sheet, as rectangular as you can manage.
9.  Brush melted butter over the entire surface, and sprinkle generously with cinnamon filling.
10.  Roll the dough into a tight spiral.
11.  With the seam of the spiral facing down, use a tightly pulled piece of dental floss or string to cut the roll into 1-2 in. pieces.  Set pieces on cookie sheets, ensuring adequate room to rise (about 1 1/2 in).
12.  Cover the cookie sheets with plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise for 30 min.
13.  Bake at 375F for 15 min.
14.  Make the glaze by combining softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk and mixing until smooth.  If the mixture solidifies before the rolls are done, simply soften in the microwave for about 20 sec.
15.  When the rolls are done, immediately drizzle with glaze and serve!