Carrot Cake Cinnamon Buns

Tangzhong:

• Add the flour and water into a medium saute pan over medium heat. Stir to combine.
• Continue to stir with a spatula until it forms a thick paste (about 5 minutes)
• Refrigerate the mixture for at least 4 hours (up to overnight). An hour before use, take the paste out of the fridge to bring it to room temperature

Milk Bread Dough

Blooming the yeast:

• Add carrots into the blender with milk until the carrots are fully blended (there may be a few small pieces this is ok)
• Heat the carrot milk in the microwave until 105 degrees
• To bloom the yeast, add together warm milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and the yeast into a small bowl. The milk should be about 105 degrees fahrenheit. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes until it is slightly sweet smelling bubbly.

Making the dough

• In the base of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the bread flour, milk powder, salt, and remaining sugar. Run the mixer on low and add in the bloomed yeast, egg, and tangzhong. Mix for about 2-3 minutes on low until the dough begins to form.
• After 2-3 minutes add in the softened butter and continue to mix on low for about 1 minute. After the butter is incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium high and mix for 8 minutes. At this point the dough should form a ball that is not too sticky, if it is not forming a ball, add in a few more tablespoons of bread flour.
• Once the dough is smooth and formed into a ball, place it into a greased mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel and proof it for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size (the time this takes will depend on the temperature of where you are letting the dough proof)

Shaping:

• After the dough has doubled in size. Flour the counter or a large surface and roll it into a rectangle (about ¼ inch thick)
• Make the filling by mixing softened butter, cinnamon, and sugar. After the filling is mixed, spread it over the dough leaving a ½ border along the edges
• After adding the filling, roll the dog into a log rolling the longer side inwards until a tight log forms.
• Once the roll is formed used unflavored floss or a knife to cut the dough into 12 pieces (We cut off the ends and then cut 12 even pieces)
• Place each roll into a greased 9×13 inch pan. Cover the pan with a towel and let them proof for about 35-40 minutes or until they have almost doubled in size.
• Note: We chose to make 2 trays of 6 (vs placing all 12 into one pan so they cooked more evenly), but they can be made with all 12 in 1 they will bake up higher and need to cook for slightly longer.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚F
• After they have proofed, bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes (if all 12 are in the pan they will need slightly longer if just 6 are in the pan) or until they are golden on the edges but baked in the center. Cool for 10 minutes before frosting.

Frosting:

• Add the cream cheese, heavy cream, and butter into a bowl and mix with a spoon until smooth. Add the extracts, powdered sugar, and salt into the bowl and mix until smooth. Frost each cinnamon rolls with about a tablespoon of the icing and serve.