Cinnamon Bun & Apple Upside Down Bread Pudding

 

If you do not have an oven-proof skillet for this recipe, I used a 10" cast iron skillet, then you can saute the apples and dump them into a 10" round cake pan.

Ingredients

2 cans cinnamon buns
2 C apples, cored, peeled & chopped
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 c butter
3/4 c packed brown sugar
4 eggs
1/2 c heavy cream
1 T pure vanilla extract
1/2 c raisins (optional)
3 T pure maple syrup & more for serving
French Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 375*.   In a 10" oven-proof skillet, melt butter and brown sugar; add cinnamon and apples (and raisins, if using); saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally until apples are soft, approximately 10 minutes.

Cut cinnamon rolls into quarters.  Place them over the apple mixture.

In a medium bowl, add eggs, heavy cream and vanilla.  Whisk until well blended.  Pour over apples & cinnamon buns.

Bake for 25 - 35 minutes, or until bubbly, and cinnamon bun pieces are baked through.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn upside down onto a plate while holding the place over the pan.  Drizzle with maple syrup.  Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.  Drizzle with more maple syrup.

Enjoy!

Easy Cinnamon Buns

If you have a craving for fresh from the oven cinnamon buns that are like the ones you can buy at the mall, this recipe will satisfy that craving.  It takes a shortcut in that the dough is comes ready-made from the frozen food section of your grocery store.

Ingredients

1 loaf of frozen ready-made bread dough, thawed in the frig
6 T softened butter
Ground cinnamon
1/3 c brown sugar
1/3 c granulated sugar
1/2 c of chopped nuts and/or raisins (optional)

Icing

1-1/2 c confectioner's sugar
2 T very soft butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (almond works well too)
Milk

Preheat oven to 350*.  Spray 8 large muffin cups or a round baking pan with cooking spray.  Set aside.

Lightly dust a wooden cutting board with flour.  Set out the thawed dough and roll into about an  8x15 rectangle.  This step takes a bit of work, but you'll eventually get there.  You can pull and stretch the dough a bit with your fingers as well to help it along.

With a knife spreader slather the entire rectangle with butter.  Sprinkle generously with cinnamon.  Mix the sugars together and sprinkle over the cinnamon.

Starting at the long end, tightly roll the dough into a log, manipulating the dough to keep it even.  Slice into 8 equal pieces, and put cut side down into pan.  With your fingers, spread the top layers of dough open.  Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise to double in size, about and hour and a half.  Bake for 16-20 minutes are until a dark golden brown and cooked in the center.

Mix icing ingredients together, adding milk by the tablespoon until you reach your desired consistency.  Thicker, but spreadable is better here as it will melt as soon as you spread it onto the hot buns.

Enjoy!