Pain Perdu Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer with dough hook
• •9 by 13 inch baking dish
• •Rolling pin
• •Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the brioche dough

   Whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the warm milk and eggs. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about two minutes. Increase to medium speed and knead for eight minutes. The dough will slap against the sides of the bowl and look rough at first. That's fine. Keep going.

   Milk temperature matters. Too hot kills the yeast. Too cold and it won't activate. Aim for bathwater warm, around 110°F.
2. 2

   Add the butter slowly

   With the mixer running on medium, add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time. Wait until each piece disappears before adding the next. This takes patience, maybe ten minutes total. The dough will look like a disaster halfway through, greasy and broken. Trust the process. Once all the butter incorporates, the dough transforms into something smooth, shiny, and elastic. It should pull away from the bowl cleanly and feel tacky but not sticky.

3. 3

   First rise

   Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about two hours. The dough is rich with butter and eggs, so it rises slower than lean bread dough. Be patient. Punch it down gently, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight. Cold dough rolls out beautifully without sticking.

4. 4

   Make the filling

   Mix the soft butter, brown sugar, cane syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in a bowl until it forms a spreadable paste. The cane syrup adds that distinctly Louisiana sweetness, darker and more complex than plain sugar. If you can't find cane syrup, Steen's is the gold standard and worth ordering online. Fold in the chopped pecans.

   Toast your pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about five minutes. Raw pecans taste flat in comparison.
5. 5

   Roll and fill

   Turn the cold dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 18 by 14 inches. The dough should be about a quarter inch thick, even throughout. Spread the filling edge to edge, leaving a half-inch border along one long side. That bare strip helps seal the roll. Starting from the filled long edge, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Pinch the seam to seal.

6. 6

   Cut and arrange

   Using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, cut the log into twelve equal pieces, each about an inch and a half thick. Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish generously. Arrange the rolls cut side up in the dish, spacing them evenly. They should nearly touch but have a little room to expand.

7. 7

   Make the custard

   Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a large bowl until pale and slightly thickened. Add the cream, milk, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until completely smooth. This is your pain perdu component, the soul of the dish. Pour the custard slowly over the rolls, letting it seep into all the crevices. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, at least eight hours.

   The overnight soak is not optional. The brioche needs time to absorb the custard fully. Rush this and you'll have soggy bottoms and dry tops.
8. 8

   Bake to golden perfection

   Remove the pan from the refrigerator thirty minutes before baking. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes until the tops are deep golden brown and the custard has set. The centers should jiggle just slightly when you shake the pan. A thermometer inserted into the center should read about 190°F. The edges will be darker and slightly caramelized where the filling has bubbled up. That's exactly what you want.

9. 9

   Make the cream cheese glaze

   While the rolls bake, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar gradually, beating on low to avoid a cloud of sugar dust in your kitchen. Add the vanilla and salt, then thin with milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the glaze is pourable but still thick enough to coat the rolls generously.

10. 10

    Glaze and serve

    Let the rolls cool in the pan for fifteen minutes. They're too fragile to move right away, and the custard needs time to set. Drizzle the cream cheese glaze generously over the warm rolls, letting it pool in the crevices and drip down the sides. Serve warm. The first bite should give you crispy caramelized edges, soft custardy brioche, warm spiced filling, and that tangy-sweet glaze all at once.

Chef Tips

• •Steen's cane syrup is the Louisiana standard. It's darker and more complex than maple syrup or honey. If you can't find it locally, order online. It keeps forever and transforms everything from pecan pie to morning biscuits.
• •For an extra New Orleans touch, add a tablespoon of bourbon to the custard. It bakes off but leaves behind a warmth that plays beautifully with the cinnamon and pecans.
• •These rolls travel well. Bake them in a disposable aluminum pan and bring them to holiday brunch. You'll be everyone's favorite guest.
• •If you want to skip the overnight rest, let the custard-soaked rolls sit at room temperature for two hours before baking. The results won't be quite as custardy, but they'll still be better than anything from a tube.

Advance Preparation

• •The brioche dough can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated. It actually improves with time as the flavors develop.
• •Assembled rolls with custard poured over can sit in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. Longer soaking means more custardy results.
• •Leftover rolls reheat beautifully in a 300°F oven for ten minutes. Cover with foil to prevent the glaze from burning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 220g)