Cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing

Warm a cup of milk to about 110F in the bowl of the stand mixer, warming a cold bowl first so the heat is not leached out.

Add a quarter cup of granulated sugar and two and a quarter teaspoons of active dry yeast, mix, and set aside about five minutes until frothed. If it does not froth, the yeast is dead and must be replaced.

In a large bowl weigh 560 g of flour and 73 g of light brown sugar, crumbling the lumps out.

Add the salt and half a teaspoon of cinnamon, plus a quarter teaspoon of any other spice, and mix the dry ingredients to distribute.

Add the dries, the melted butter, the egg and the vanilla to the yeast milk in the mixer.

Mix on low until shaggy, then up to medium-low and knead about eight to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and silky and tacky but does not stick to clean fingers.

Turn the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over once so the oiled side is up, cover loosely and rise in a warm place until doubled, one and a half to two hours. The butter and milk make the yeast work harder.

Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon with a fork for the filling.

Turn the doubled dough onto a lightly floured counter, dried side down, and pat, shape and roll it into a 12 by 24 inch rectangle.

Spread six tablespoons of very soft butter over the dough, dotting it first, right up to three of the edges and leaving half an inch clear on one short edge.

Spread the cinnamon sugar over the butter in an even layer with your hands.

Starting from the long side furthest from the clear edge, fold that edge over and roll up, tightening as you go.

Butter a nine by 13 inch dish lightly. Mark the log into two inch slices and cut each with unwaxed dental floss looped around it.

Push the bottom of each roll up with a thumb and pinch it closed so the centre pops up, then place with room to grow.

Cover loosely and rise a second time in a warm place about one hour, until significantly puffed. Preheat the oven to 350F.

Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden throughout.

Beat the softened butter, cream cheese, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of vanilla, then add two cups of powdered sugar on low and one to two tablespoons of milk as needed; increase to medium to break up any balls of sugar.

Spread about a third of the frosting over the hot rolls straight out of the oven with the back of a spoon so it seeps into the nooks and crannies.