Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Want to learn how to make these?? My sister came over the house and helped me make these. The kids were all asleep, and we were in the kitchen giggling like high school girls. We cracked jokes, not to mention a chair. Someone, and I am not going to name who, FELL on the chair after trying to take pictures with her "manual zoom". Okay, enough said. :) Regardless, this was a yummy recipe. I mean, who doesn't like chocolate??!


Let's get started! First, you proof your yeast by adding it to the warm water. Just use the mixing bowl that you will make your dough in. No need to dirty up another dish.

Next, add your butter, sugar, salt and remaining water. Add 2-1/2 c. of flour and your cocoa.

Beat it on Medium speed for about 3 minutes, until it is smooth.

Now, stir in the rest of your flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. I used 2-1/4 cups.

On a floured surface, knead your dough until it is smooth and elastic.

Form it into a ball.

Place it in a greased bowl, turning once so that you get the grease on the top.
Cover and let rise in a warm place for an hour. (I like to turn on my oven to 275 degrees, and set the pan on the stove top, just to give it a little warmth.)

After an hour, look how much your dough has grown! This means you didn't kill the yeast! Yay!

On a floured surface, roll out your dough into a 24x20 rectangle.

Brush with melted butter.

Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and chocolate chips.

Roll the rectangle into a jelly roll.
Pinch the seems to seal. This is the point where the jokes REALLY came in. It involved an album from Green Day, and the song "Tootsie Roll".

Now, cut the dough into 20 slices. I found using a serrated knife from the 1800's worked best for me. No really, it is old. It's from my husband's first marriage. Yes, I need new knifes.Brush two round pans with butter and place the cinnamon rolls in them. At this point, you can cover them and refrigerate overnight, then pull them out in the morning and let them rise for about 45 minutes before baking them at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Now, the recipe says bake until browned. Am I the only one that sees the humor in this??? That tells me NOTHING. So, I am telling you, about 25 minutes did it for mine.

Now that the rolls are in the oven, it is time to make the frosting! YUM. In a mixing bowl, mix your powdered sugar with the milk.

Add the vanilla.

And Ta-Da! Icing. I also interchanged the vanilla extract with coconut extract one morning, and it was good too! ;) So then I had Chocolate Coconut Cinnamon Rolls. :)

And here is what they would look like if you worked for Taste of Home Cookbook. I actually was going to take a picture of the final product, but my camera died, and we were on our way out the door to church anyway. Well, as soon as I found the spare set of keys, since I had locked my keys in the car. BUT we made it to church on a sugar high. It was great. :)

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
20 Servings

Prep: 30 min. + rising

Bake: 25 min.

Ingredients:
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1-1/2 cups warm water (110° to 115°), divided
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4-1/2 to 4-3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2/3 cup baking cocoa

FILLING:
1/2 c. butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
ground cinnamon
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips


ICING:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Directions
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Add the butter, sugar, salt and remaining water. Stir in 2-1/2 cups flour and cocoa. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes or until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a 24-in. x 20-in. rectangle; brush with melted butter. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, chocolate chips; sprinkle over each rectangle to within 1/2 in. of edges.
Roll up dough, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal. Cut into 20 slices. Place cut side down in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to reach desired consistency. Spread over rolls while slightly warm; sprinkle with additional chocolate chips if desired. Yield: 20 rolls.
(Adapted from Taste of Home Cookbook)

Listen to this for inspiration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYfW53iE3Us