Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls. Fluffy, spiced carrot brioche is rolled out and filled with dulce de leche and toasted nuts, and rolled into large, bakery-style carrot cake cinnamon rolls, and finished with a cream cheese frosting.

Carrot Cake Brioche

• 220g whole milk, lukewarm
• 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
• 4 Tbsp (50g) dark brown sugar
• 565g all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ginger
• ½ tsp cardamom
• 120g finely shredded fresh carrot, gently wrung out in a paper towel or patted dry
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 90g unsalted butter, at room temperature

Dulce de Leche Filling

• 1 can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cardamom
• ½ tsp ginger
• pinch of salt
• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
• 250g chopped toasted walnuts (see FAQ for tips on toasting)

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 115g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 225g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 250g powdered sugar, sifted
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste

Instructions

CARROT BRIOCHE DOUGH

1. Place the lukewarm milk, 2 Tbsp of the sugar, and the yeast in a medium sized bowl, and stir to combine. Leave for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, place the flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, grated carrot, and remaining 2 Tbsp sugar, and mix briefly to combine.
3. Add the milk mixture, egg and vanilla to the dry ingredients, and mix on low for 2-3 minutes. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium, and mix for a further 5 minutes. Add the butter a little at a time, waiting until it is incorporated until adding the next piece. Mix for a further 7-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and soft.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm place until doubled in size, 45 minutes to an hour. Alternatively you can do the first rise over the course of a few hours (2-3 minimum) or overnight in the fridge. Colder dough is ideal to work with so if preferable, do a cold rise if you can.

DULCE DE LECHE

1. Preheat the oven to 425°f / 220°c. Pour 1 can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk into a pie plate (glass or metal). Cover with aluminium foil and place the pie plate into a larger casserole dish or similar shallow dish. Fill with water, taking care the water level does not go above the pie plate level.
2. Bake for 2 hours, topping up the water as needed, until the condensed milk is thick and caramel coloured. Transfer to a container and chill completely.

FILLING AND ASSEMBLY

1. Line a quarter sheet pan or baking dish (9”x13” or 23cm x 33cm) with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the chilled Dulce de Leche, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, salt, and vanilla bean paste. Mix to combine.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll into a rectangle that is 24” x 16” (60cm x 40cm), squaring off the edges often as you roll. Spread with the dulce de leche mixture, ensuring the filling is spread evenly over the surface. Sprinkle evenly with the walnuts.
3. Starting with a long side, roll up into a tight spiral. Cut the log into two pieces and place them side by side on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Lightly cover the dough logs with plastic wrap, and transfer to the freezer for 20 minutes in order to firm up slightly (this helps give a neater cut - if your dough is chilled you can skip this step).
4. Once the dough logs have chilled, remove from the fridge. Using a sharp knife, slice each log into 6 equal pieces (I like to use a ruler), and arrange on the prepared baking sheet or baking dish, evenly spacing between.
5. Lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap, and leave to rise for 45 minutes to an hour, or until puffy, and a small indentation is left when poked gently with your finger.
6. While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c.
7. Bake the rolls for 35 to 40 minutes, or until deeply golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 15 minutes or so before icing with the Cream Cheese Frosting

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1. Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until well combined. Add in the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla bean paste, and whip until light and fluffy.
2. Spread onto the cinnamon rolls while they are still slightly warm.
3. Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature. Rewarm in the microwave before serving.