 A Swedish cinnamon bun orkanelbulle withpearl sugar | |
| Alternative names | Cinnamon bun, cinnamon swirl, cinnamon Danish, cinnamon snail |
|---|---|
| Type | Sweet roll |
| Main ingredients | Flour,cinnamon,sugar, andbutter (or any other solid fat) |
Acinnamon roll (also known ascinnamon bun,cinnamon swirl,cinnamon scroll,cinnamon Danish andcinnamon snail) is asweet roll commonly served inNorthern Europe andNorth America. There are alternative recipes that usePuff pastry instead of yeasted dough, but are constructed using a similar method.[1][2][3]
A cinnamon roll consists of a rolled sheet of yeast-leavened sweet breaddough orViennoiserie,[4] onto which acinnamon andsugar mixture (with some variations includingbrown sugar,raisins or other ingredients[5]) is sprinkled over a thin coat ofbutter.[6] The dough is then rolled, cut into individual portions and normally baked, however adeep fried version is called cinnamon roll or cinnamon bundoughnut.[7]
Arab spice traders introduced the Sri Lankan cinnamon spice to Europe.[8][9] The origin of cinnamon rolls is unknown, but might be inByzantium.[10]
The oldest recorded recipes for cinnamon rolls are from Germany in the 16th century.[10] Cinnamon rolls spread from Germany to Scandinavia,[10] introduced toNorway fromHanseatic traders through the port city ofBergen where it would become known as theskillingsbolle (lit. ''shillingbun''),[11] with the modern Swedishkanelbulle (lit. ''cinnamonbun'') being created after the First World War. They spread to the United States with German immigrants.[10]
The size of a cinnamon roll varies from place to place, but many vendors supply a smaller size about 5 centimeters (2.0 in) in diameter and a larger size about 10 cm (3.9 in) to a side. One of the larger varieties can be found inFinland, calledkorvapuusti (lit. 'a 'cuff on the ear'',fig. "pulling someone's ear for disciplining"), where it can be up to 20 cm (7.9 in) in diameter and weigh up to 200 g (7.1 oz).[12]
Haga, a district inGothenburg, Sweden, has very large cinnamon rolls. These cinnamon rolls are calledhagabullar orQueen of the Kitchen.Hagabullar are usually 30 centimeters (12 in) or more in diameter and are, despite their size, not considered a communal roll.[13]
InDenmark the cinnamon roll is known askanelsnegl, inSweden it is calledkanelbulle, inNorway it is known askanelbolle,skillingsbolle,kanelsnurr, orkanel i svingene, inFinland it is known askorvapuusti, inIceland it is known askanilsnúður, and inEstonia it is known askaneelirull.[14][15][16] InAustria andGermany, it is calledZimtschnecke. InSlovakia and theCzech Republic, it is calledškoricové slimáky/skořicoví šneci (meaning 'cinnamon snails').[17][18]
Since 1999,[19][20] October 4 has been promoted asCinnamon Roll Day (Kanelbullens dag), a national theme day, acknowledged by a significant portion of the Swedish population.[21][22] Swedish kanelbulle dough typically also containscardamom (powder or buds), giving it a distinctive flavour.[23]
The SwedishButterkaka and Finnishbostonkakku ("Boston cake") is a cake made by baking cinnamon rolls in a round cake pan instead of baking them separately, so that they stick together to form a large, round cake.[24]
In Austria and Germany, they are widely available at supermarkets and bakeries. A German variety, which is similar to the Scandinavian style, originating inHamburg and its surroundings is theFranzbrötchen, a cinnamon-filled baked good inspired by the Frenchcroissant, which does not contain cinnamon.[25]
In the United Kingdom, cinnamon bun, cinnamon roll and cinnamon swirl names are all used, and generally available in most supermarkets and bakeries.[26][27]
American cinnamon rolls are frequently large, baked in a pan and topped with cream cheeseicing (usuallyconfectioners' sugar-based) and are sometimes fried, finished with glaze, and served as a variation of a raiseddonut. There are also regional combinations: in the AmericanMidwest, especiallyNebraska andKansas, cinnamon rolls are commonly eaten withchili.[28] There are also regions that include bacon pieces.[29]
In Canada, they are known as cinnamon rolls or cinnamon buns. They are usually self-glazed and not iced, nor do they usually have raisins.[30][31] They can have so much cinnamon that they are spicy and hot to the taste.
In Asian cultures, cinnamon rolls may be made using a yeast bread technique called tangzhong. The technique is closely associated with Japanese milk bread since it gives it a soft, feathery texture. By heating flour at exactly 65°C or 149°F, the starches within the flour will pre-gelatinize, causing it to thicken more than average. Tangzhong allows the starches to retain moisture for longer periods of time, resulting in a longer shelf life.[32]
Rolls made withtahini and cinnamon are popular inArmenian cuisine.[33][34]
In Sweden and Finland, cinnamon rolls are traditionally enjoyed during a get-together, including the consumption of coffee and or baked goods. In Sweden, the get-together is known as afika, typically held in the afternoon, by coworkers during a break, by friends or by family. NationalCinnamon Roll Day (Kanelbullens dag) is observed on October 4 in Sweden and Finland.[35]
In Denmark, cinnamon buns are especially popular on Wednesdays, where an extra large variant called the Wednesday snail is sold. This tradition was specially invented during the 1990s[36] where the national football team usually played their games on Wednesdays.[citation needed]
Along withTopfengolatsche,Buttercroissant andFaschingskrapfen, cinnamon rolls are a typical baked good to have with afternoon coffee, known as "Kaffe und Kuchen" in Austria and Germany.[37]
InNorth America, it is commonly eaten for breakfast or dessert. When eaten for breakfast in the U.S., it may be served withcream cheese frosting.[38]
Cinnamon buns are particularly popular during the Christmas season in both Slovakia and the Czech Republic. They form part of the traditional Christmas baking repertoire in many households, alongside other festive treats like vanilla crescents (vanilkové rožteky) andlinzer cookies.[citation needed]
Cinnamon buns are associated with Germany, where they were known as Schnecken, or "snails," for their coiled shape. Although recipes for these buns can be found in early German cookbooks from the 1500s, they may originally have been introduced from Byzantium. The buns soon spread to many places, including Scandinavia, where various forms of kanelbullar are typically served with coffee. In the early eighteenth century, many Germans moved to Pennsylvania, bringing with them their sweet pastries and other food traditions.
