Cinnamon rolls

[igenlode]

Made a very successful batch of cinnamon rolls while trying to find something useful to do with the left-over cooking liquid from a big batch of chickpeas; I'd heard you could do something with it, but I had no idea! Apparently vegans have rechristened it 'aquafaba', the miracle ingredient that can mimic eggs (although not, in my experience, unless you have an electric whisk or a very strong wrist).

But this recipe uses it unwhisked: https://www.veganricha.com/2016/04/1-hour-cinnamon-rolls.html

Not being a vegan, I was able to simplify my life by using real butter instead of 'vegan butter' (it was so hot today I didn't even bother melting it; I just smeared it across the dough with my fingers) and honey to glaze instead of 'cashew frosting' ;-p
I didn't bother brushing them with oil before cooking -- I suspect that's probably an attempted substitute for brushing with beaten egg to get a golden colour.

Adapted (to English measurements and ingredients) recipe:

Take 4 tbsp chickpea water and add hot water to make up to 1 US cup (about 9 fl.oz. -- a scant half-pint)
Dissolve 2 Tbsp muscovado (or other) sugar in it, add 1 tbsp baking yeast and leave to activate.

Rub 2 tbsp butter into 12 oz strong white flour, add 1/4 tsp salt, mix in the yeast liquid and knead, adding more flour as required, to form a soft dough. Roll out to a rectangle 10" by 14".

Mix 2oz soft brown sugar with 3tsp cinnamon (and optional nutmeg) and 1/4tsp salt.
Soften 2tbsp butter and spread all over the surface of the dough. Cover with cinnamon sugar and roll up along the long side to form a cylinder. Seal edges.

Using a saw-edged knife, cut off one-and-a-half-inch slices and arrange on a baking tray lined with a sheet of greaseproof paper. Cover and leave to rise.

Bake in a hot oven for about 20 minutes until golden on top and cooked. Remove from oven and while still hot brush with honey.

Comments

[igenlode]

Having been told that it was impossible, naturally I had to try it ;-)

Didn't work; the stuff whipped up to pretty firm peaks quite nicely (possibly because I'd been keeping it in the fridge and it was pre-chilled), but collapsed under the sugar. I put half of it in the oven as fairly flat meringues and tried beating the rest again later, but at this point it would no longer form peaks at all.

The meringues didn't ooze, but only because they spread out into flat biscuits... The rest of the sticky goo I used as sweetening for a vanilla soufflé made with proper egg, which I must say was a pleasure to whip up after my prior efforts!

[watervole]

Ah, you should always believe your Aunty Judith!

I think we tried a souffle rather than meringue, but the collapse was the same.