The following recipe and excerpt for Kowalski Bakery’s Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls are from “HARRY POTTER AND FANTASTIC BEASTS: Official Wizarding World Cookbook: Spellbinding Meals From New York to Hogwarts and Beyond!” by Jody Revenson and Sarah Walker Caron. It’s available for purchase on Amazon.
Actor Dan Fogler (Jacob Kowalski) feels it’s kismet that he plays the part of a baker in the Fantastic Beasts films.
“I knew the character really well because my great-grandfather was a baker in the same area,” Fogler explains. “He had the best pumpernickel in New York; that’s what he was known for.”
Fogler believes his family legacy contributed to him winning the part, supposing that the director and producers saw his audition tape and said, “‘Oh, this guy knows this character.’ Because he’s very much in my blood.” During a glimpse of Kowalski’s Bakery, after Jacob secures a loan using the Occamy egg shells Newt has gifted him in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, we see shelves filled with breads and pastries, including cinnamon rolls. This recipe offers oversized yeast-raised cinnamon rolls filled with cinnamon and brown sugar, coated with a vanilla bean glaze.
Kowalski Bakery’s Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls With Vanilla Bean Glaze
Ingredients
For the cinnamon rolls
For the glaze
Instructions
- Scald the milk in a medium pot set over medium heat: It should have tiny bubbles on the surface and be just short of boiling. Remove from heat, and stir in the sugar, salt, and 1/4 cup of the butter (cut into pieces). Once the butter is melted, stir until cooled to 110°F. Then sprinkle the yeast on the surface, and rest for 2 to 3 minutes until it’s foamy.
- Add the flour 1 cup at a time, stirring after each addition until combined. Turn out the dough onto a floured board, and knead with floured hands until the dough forms a cohesive ball. Transfer to a large oiled bowl, cover with a dish towel, and set in a warm, draft-free area for about 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Flour a work surface, turn out the dough, and roll into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle. Melt the remaining butter, and brush the top of the dough all over with it. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon, taking care to spread it to the edges. Roll on the long edge, to create a cylinder.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 even pieces. Transfer to an oven-safe glass baking pan. Cover the pan with a kitchen towel, leaving room for the dough to rise, and let rise for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the cover from the baking dish, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven, and let cool while you prepare the glaze.
- In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar and milk. Add the vanilla bean paste or extract. Stir together to form the glaze. Drizzle all over the cinnamon rolls. Serve immediately.
