Americans love cinnamon rolls. Big, gooey, sweet, cinnamon rolls. As a comfort food, they appeal to a large segment of the population and can generate significant sales for operators. Only a few people can describe their favorite cinnamon roll quickly, and chances are they would recall a roll from their youth. For many consumers, the equation is: big plus sweet equals satisfaction and value.

Made from dough loaded with sugar and yeast, cinnamon rolls sold in food courts and similar venues have come to symbolize American baking to some people. But as consumers become increasingly aware of flavor and quality, successful bakers are creating products with a different set of values. Bigger isn't always better, and sweeter doesn't always mean more flavorful.

These morning buns promise tenderness and lightness, with defined, clean flavors to those seeking a respite from the doughy, calorie-laden sweet rolls that are commonplace. Deriving flavor from fermentation and flakiness from lamination, skilled bakers are capturing an audience concerned more with quality, ingredients and craftsmanship than price. Bakers are waking up to what coffee marketers and wine vendors recognized years ago, prices associated with premium goods will not deter sales and in many cases, will stimulate them.

In the United States, the popularity of morning buns has grown steadily since the late 1970s. With the region's prolific farms, mills and bakeries, it should be no surprise that morning buns first became fashionable in the Midwest. The Ovens of Brittany, a bakery in Madison, Wis., is credited with creating and naming the bun. With two airlines as wholesale customers, the bakery sold thousands of the rolls a day. Its version comprised two great elements: croissant dough and cinnamon sugar. As Madison-area residents relocated, the rolls' popularity crossed state and regional lines, with many permutations. Cream cheese, brown sugar, caramel, vanilla bean, chocolate and pecans have been included under the moniker of morning buns. To avoid confusion, the Ovens of Brittany began calling its product Brittany buns.

The inspiration for this version of the morning bun is as simple as a baker peeling and zesting oranges while working next to a bowl of cinnamon sugar. To maximize the attributes of the product, ingredient selection and adherence to methodology are paramount. Using European-style butter with a butterfat content of 82 percent or more ensures well-defined lamination. True cinnamon provides a sweeter, cleaner and brighter flavor than the more commonly available cassia, which passes for cinnamon in North America. Lower protein bread flour produces a strong yet tender dough, and osmotolerant yeast allows for an even, controlled fermentation.

The sweet dough often used for cinnamon rolls and sticky buns requires intensive mixing due to the amount of fat added to the dough; however, croissant dough uses a short mixing method as dough development continues throughout the lamination process. Two hours of primary fermentation at room temperature followed by a long, slow overnight fermentation under refrigeration develops organic acids. This contributes to the complex flavor as well as increased dough strength and shelf life of the product. It also provides time for the gluten to relax and mellow.

After refrigerating overnight, freeze the dough briefly and plasticize the roll-in butter. Both dough and butter need to be the same consistency, not necessarily the same temperature, for ideal lamination. Butter softens at 80°F, begins melting at 88°F, and has a final melting point of 94°F. It is most plastic between 60°F and 70°F. Maintaining the consistency of the fat is critical. If the dough and/or the butter are too warm, the layers will meld and lamination will be lost. If they are too cold, the butter may shatter and be unevenly distributed or it may break through the dough.

To obtain the maximum amount of orange flavor, place 200 g of sugar with the orange zest in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, and pulse until the mixture is well combined. The cutting action of the blade and the crystalline edges of the sugar will release the essential oils. In a bowl, combine the processed mixture with the remaining sugar and the cinnamon. The orange will be evenly distributed and the flavor will be more balanced. This also will slightly moisten the sugar, which helps it cling to the product.

No secrets or magic are involved in making great morning buns. Sound technique and quality ingredients elevate the simple to the sublime. When executed properly, it's possible to taste the dough, the cinnamon and the orange. Morning buns are not just for breakfast. They go well with afternoon coffee and tea service and are perfect with an after dinner espresso or coffee. Maybe they should be called “all day buns” for the sales they generate.

1. Sheet dough to 3 mm thick. Cut it in half length-wise.
2. Brush the edges of the dough with egg wash. Cover the dough with a generous amount of cinnamon sugar, and roll into cylinders.
3. Cut the dough cylinders at 2-in. increments.
4. Lightly butter 2-in. deep muffin tins, and place rolls cutside down. Proof at 75°F for two to two and a half hours.
5. Bake at 350°F in a convection oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
6. Toss the baked rolls in the remaining cinnamon sugar to coat them while they are still warm.
7. Morning buns are sure to become a customer favorite, especially when made with high quality ingredients.

Mitch Stamm, is an associate instructor at Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I., where he teaches Principles and Techniques of Bread Making. He is a Certified Executive Pastry Chef with 40 years experience in foodservice. For more information about Johnson & Wales University, visit www.jwu.edu.