Currently, I'm an accounting clerk. Accounting really isn't fun.
Sometimes numbers aren't my friends.
I don't go home thinking about debits and credits or financial statements. I think about grilled cheese sandwiches, baby thighs, Paris and cinnamon knots. I actually dream about what I'm going to make in the morning for breakfast.
Let's be clear, I don't hate my current job, I just think I could be so much happier doing something else. For now, it'll do but I know it's not my true calling in life. Honestly, I don't know what is.
I don't mean for this post to be super deep about "What will Jen do ?" but I truly believe what you think about when you're not trying to think about anything is what really makes you happy.
For me it's clear that I need to live in Paris, with a baby, making grilled cheese sandwiches and eating cinnamon knots. And somehow teaching Jazzercise?
.
Totally reasonable.
Cinnamon knots
[ from Serious Eats ]
These cinnamon knots are an amazing breakfast treat. They aren't gooey like cinnamon rolls, they are like a morning bun with a hint of cinnamon and sweetness. They taste the best when fresh out of the oven, but are just as good the next day heated slightly in the microwave.
1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry instant yeast
1/4 cup honey, divided
2 eggs
1/2 scalded milk, cooled to room temperature
1/4 cup instant mashed potatoes
2 3/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar, or more as needed
1 tablespoon cinnamon, or to taste
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast and water. Dip a spoon into honey and use that to stir until the honey has dissolved off the spoon. Let rest for 10 minutes, mixture should become foamy. Add remaining honey, eggs, milk, instant potatoes and bread flour. Knead with dough hook at low speed until dough is smooth and elastic, about 4-5 minutes. Add butter and salt and continue kneading until butter and salt are completely incorporated, about 2 minutes. Note : I found the butter got stuck along the bowl of the mixer and I had to scrape it down with a rubber spatula several times.
Drizzle a small amount of olive oil into a large ziploc bag. Form dough into a ball, it's very sticky and wet, put it in the bag and place in the refrigerator overnight.
The next morning, pull the bag of of the refrigerator, punch down dough if needed and reseal. Let sit out for about 2 hours or until it has come to room temperature.
Adjust oven racks to the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Mix together cinnamon and sugar in a pie plate or any other rimmed plate. Lightly flour counter, remove dough from bag and lightly knead. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces, roll each piece into a 6 inch long rope. Be sure to not overflour the counter, we want each rope to be slightly sticky.
Roll each rope in the cinnamon sugar mix, don't worry if they shrink a little bit, then tie each rope into a knot and place on baking sheets. Place knots about 2 inches apart to leave room for expansion. When all knots are tied, sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar.
Cover baking sheet in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for about 45 minutes, or until they have doubled in size. Remove plastic wrap and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately or place on a rack to cool and store in an air tight container.
