Comfort Me with Offal

When I get a hankering for Graeter’s muffin-size sweet rolls known as “crowns,” I make these. Although primarily known for ice cream, this fourth-generation family business in Cincinnati, Ohio, also makes wonderful baked goods. They’re so popular that Graeter’s publishes a baking schedule, which you can check out online.

PAN SAUCE:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

SWEET CHEESE FILLING:

12 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) small-curd cottage cheese

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CINNAMON STREUSEL:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe No-Knead Cinnamon Roll Dough

VANILLA GLAZE:

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. For the pan sauce, brush the butter on the inside of six 6-cup muffin tins.

2. For the cheese filling, place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Set aside.

3. For the streusel, combine the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Work in the butter with a fork or your fingers until the mixture forms crumbs. Set aside.

4. Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Flour your hands. With a floured dough scraper, cut the dough in fourths. Working the dough as little as possible and adding flour as necessary, roll each fourth into a 9-inch square. Cut the dough into 3-inch squares. Arrange each square in a prepared muffin tin. Place 2 teaspoons Sweet Cheese Filling and 2 teaspoons Cinnamon Streusel in each dough-lined muffin cup. Cover with tea towels and let rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the crust has lightly browned and the filling is firm.

6. For the glaze, whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled rolls.

When you need a pick-me-up, these are the rolls for the job. Inside each sweet coil nestle chunks of espresso- flavored dark chocolate by Barry Callebaut. Buy the chocolate at specialty baking shops or at kingarthurflour.com.

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe No-Knead Cinnamon Roll Dough

FILLING:

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup espresso chocolate chunks

CAPPUCCINO DRIZZLE:

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons heavy cream, or more

2 tablespoons brewed coffee

TOPPING:

1/4 cup finely chopped espresso chocolate chunks, optional

1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and dust very lightly with flour. Flour your hands. With a dough scraper, cut the dough in half. Working the dough as little as possible and adding flour as necessary, roll each half into an 8 by 12-inch rectangle.

3. For the filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Spread half the butter over each dough rectangle and sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar. Roll up the dough, starting with a long end, and form it into a 12-inch cylinder. Cut each cylinder into 12 slices. Place each slice, spiral side up, in the prepared pan. Cover with tea towels and let rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or the rolls have risen and lightly browned.

5. For the glaze, whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled rolls. If you like, sprinkle chopped espresso chocolate chunks on each roll as a topping.

Golden and delicious from pumpkin in the dough, these delectable rolls have all the flavor of autumn in an easy, no-knead recipe. No-knead dough is moister than my Traditional Cinnamon Roll Dough, so it won’t form a tight cylinder.

PAN SAUCE:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe No-Knead Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Dough

FILLING:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2/3 cup spiced pumpkin or apple butter

2 teaspoons cinnamon

CINNAMON-CIDER GLAZE:

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon whipping cream or whole milk

2 tablespoons apple cider or juice

Pinch of salt

1. For the pan sauce, spread the butter into two 8-inch round cake pans.

2. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and dust very lightly with flour. Flour your hands. With a floured dough scraper, cut the dough in half. Working the dough as little as possible and adding flour as necessary, roll each half into an 8 by 12-inch rectangle.

3. For the filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Spread half the pumpkin butter over each dough rectangle and sprinkle with half the filling. Roll up the dough, starting with a short end, to form a 12-inch cylinder. Cut each cylinder into 9 slices. Place each slice, smooth side up, in a prepared pan, starting with the perimeter of the pan and moving toward the center. Cover with tea towels and let rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 25 to 27 minutes or the rolls have risen and lightly browned.

5. For the glaze, whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled rolls.

Make, bake, and freeze these rolls for up to three months ahead of a holiday gathering. Let them come to room temperature, then wrap them in foil and warm in a 350°F oven for a sweet treat that’s easy on the host.

PAN SAUCE:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

CRANBERRY-ORANGE FILLING:

2 (12-ounce) bags cranberries

1/2 cup orange juice

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe No-Knead Cinnamon Roll Dough

SWEET ORANGE GLAZE:

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

1/4 cup orange juice

1. For the pan sauce, spread the butter into the bottom of two 9-inch square baking pans. For the filling, combine the cranberries, orange juice, cinnamon, and sugar in a large pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries soften, about 7 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Have the softened butter ready.

2. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and dust very lightly with flour. Flour your hands. With the dough scraper, cut the dough in half. Working the dough as little as possible and adding flour as necessary, roll each half into a 10 by 16-inch rectangle. Spread half the butter over each rectangle, then half the cranberry mixture. Roll up the dough, starting with a long end, and form into a 16-inch cylinder. Cut each cylinder into 8 slices. Place each slice, spiral side up, in the prepared pans. Cover with tea towels and let rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until the rolls have risen and lightly browned.

4. For the glaze, whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled rolls.

A little bit of cardamom adds an elusive and very classic Swedish flavor to this beautiful tea ring. The no-knead dough makes it less formal looking and more relaxed than with traditional dough, but every bit as delicious. The soft, rich dough needs gentle coaxing into shape, using both hands at times, but the flavor results are worth it.

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe No-Knead Cinnamon Roll Dough

CINNAMON-CARDAMOM FILLING:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cardamom

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

ALMOND GLAZE:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream

1 teaspoon almond extract

GARNISH:

1 cup candied green cherries, optional

1 cup candied red cherries, optional

1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and dust very lightly with flour. Flour your hands and the rolling pin. Working the dough as little as possible and adding flour as necessary, roll out the dough to a 12 by 22-inch rectangle.

3. For the filling, combine the sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in a small bowl. Spread the dough with the butter and sprinkle with the filling. Roll up the dough, starting with a long end, and form into a 24-inch cylinder. Pinch the long seam closed. Bring the ends together to form a circle and pinch closed. Lightly flour any sticky places on the dough. The dough should feel soft and smooth all over, like a baby’s skin, but not at all sticky.

4. Using a flexible cutting board, transfer the tea ring to the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. With kitchen shears, starting from the outer rim, cut diagonal slashes in the tea ring, three-quarters of the way through the dough almost to the center of the ring, at 2-inch intervals. Gently fan the slices, going in the same direction, so the filling shows. Cover with a tea towel and let rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until risen and browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the ring registers at least 190°F. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

6. For the glaze, whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl. When the tea ring has cooled, drizzle with the glaze. Garnish with green and red candied cherries, if using.