May the Fourth Be With You: Star Wars Breakfast and a Blog Hop!

May the Fourth Be With You!

Happy Star Wars Day, everyone.  As a happily admitted geek, I couldn't let the day pass without some sort of celebration, even if it is a Sunday, and I won't be making lunches.  Breakfast it is!

Image from Wikipedia

... And what food is more Star Wars than cinnamon rolls?  Thanks, Princess Leia.

I won't lie.  I totally wanted her hair when I was a kid.  Unfortunately, though my hair is long, it is very fine and thin, and when I try to do Princess Leia buns, I end up with tiny little nubs smaller than my fist.  *sigh*  I guess I could never be a bad-ass rebel Princess.

So, I make my Leia Cinnamon Buns in the more satisfying edible version.

I modified a recipe from King Arthur Flour for my cinnamon buns.  (The dough is pretty much the same as their recipe, except I made the dough in my bread machine, but I modified the filling)

Leia Cinnamon Buns
(modified from King Arthur Flour)

Dough
1 1/8 c water
6 Tbsp butter, room temperature
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 c dry milk
1/2 c instant potato flakes
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp yeast

Filling
1/4 c butter, melted
3/4 c King Arthur Flour Baker's Cinnamon Filling
3 Tbsp water
1/4 c King Arthur Flour Cinnamon Mini Baking chips (optional)

or

1/4 c butter, melted
1/4 c brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 c King Arthur Flour Cinnamon Mini Baking chips (optional)

Place dough ingredients in bread machine in the order indicated by your bread machine's instructions.  Set to dough setting and let go through to the end of the cycle.  (You can also make the dough by hand or stand-mixer).

Buttery

Prepare two 9" cake pans by lightly greasing or spraying with nonstick spray.  When first rise is done, transfer dough to a lightly greased work surface.  Roll out to about a 16" x 12" rectangle.  Spread melted butter on top of the rectangle.

If using the baker's cinnamon filling, mix the dry filling with 3 Tbsp water to form a paste.  Spread evenly over rectangle and sprinkle with the cinnamon baking chips.  If using the cinnamon/brown sugar mixture, sprinkle both evenly over the buttered rectangle and then top with the cinnamon baking chips.

Roll tightly, the long way, to form a tight log.  Pinch the seam closed.  Cut into 16 even pieces using a sharp serrated knife.  Place 8 pieces into each prepared pan.

All risen

 Cover with a towel to rise until nice and puffy - 1-2 hours (this will depend on your yeast, the temperature in your kitchen, and any other number of variables).

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges are browned, and the centers are lightly golden brown.

Out on the plate

Your favorite Princess's bun, ready to eat

The Force did it... the force of my mouth.  Yum yum.

Turn out onto a plate and serve (warm is best!)

Head on over to Keitha's Chaos to see what Star Wars fun she has in store for you, and on through the hop by the Bento Blogger & Friends.

Time to watch our own Star Wars marathon (original trilogy only, thanks) - and May the Fourth Be With You.