B-b-b-baking: Cinnamon Rolls (The real kind this time.)

So, I gave the cinnamon rolls a shot today. They look like real cinnamon buns...I'm not sure if they taste like real cinnamon buns yet because I just finished baking them, it's midnight, and I'm going to bed after this post. I hope they are good, because good mornings lead to good days :)

Things I have learned today about cinnamon rolls:
*The following 3 random facts are brought to you by Wikipedia*
- Cinnamon rolls were invented to incorporate cinnamon into a bread without having the cinnamon and yeast come into contact, because it would kill the yeast.
- Sweden actually has a day called "cinnamon roll day".
- Cinnzeo didn't make it into the "See also" section of Wikipedia's article on cinnamon rolls. What a shame :(
- Soy milk works just fine in place of milk. I'm guessing almond milk and coconut milk should work as well.
- Cinnamon rolls make the house smell really nice and warm.
- Real cinnamon rolls require at least 2 and a half hours to make and bake. Actually, don't make anything with yeast unless you know you can afford the time. If you do have time, it's so worth the wait :)

I took some pictures of the process...this was my first time making cinnamon rolls at home (the right way). The last time I made real cinnamon rolls was in junior high foods class.

Before baking, after the second rising. I was impressed with how evenly I was able to slice the rolls. :D

In the oven...I liked watching the rolls expand, and the tops get rounded out and cuter. Smelled awesome.

The finished product! Complete with random icing job.

Close-up of the finished product from an angle. According to Imgur, this is how arts students take photos, so there.

Real Cinnamon Rolls (adapted from White on Rice Couple)
*Makes 12 decent-sized rolls*

Dough
1 cup soy milk
1 packet Fleischmann's instant yeast
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp table salt
1/2 cup corn oil
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + extra for rolling and handling (I had to reduce the flour quite a bit because it's drier in Alberta.)
2 tbsp corn oil
1 cup hot water

Filling
1/2 cup corn oil
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

Icing
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tsp soy milk

1. Put milk in a mug and pop in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Just enough to heat the center without making all the milk hot.
2. Give the milk a stir and add into a bowl along with sugar, salt, and instant yeast.
3. Add oil and stir.
4. Add flour and mix until combined. With a floured hand, knead about 6 times until the dough forms together.
5. Add 1 tbsp oil into a large bowl and spread around the inside of the bowl. Put your dough in the centre of the bowl, and coat the top with the remaining tbsp of oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 1 hour.
*When it's winter, and the air is too cold in the kitchen, put your yeast-infested dough covered with a damp cloth in the microwave. Don't turn on the microwave, but fill a cup with hot water, and close it, to let the dough rise. If your dough is firm or temperatures are cold, or both, this is a useful tip so that you don't have to wait 300 bizillion hours for rising time.
6. While the dough is rising, grease a 9x11 (or so, because mine was larger) pan. Also, make your cinnamon sugar mixture by combining the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and mixing until evenly distributed.
7. Once the dough has risen, flour the back of a baking sheet, and roll the dough out so that it's about the same length and width.
8. Spread the filling oil evenly across the surface of the dough.
9. Use a tablespoon to help you sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly on the surface of the dough. Make sure you sprinkle some to the edges as well.
10. With floured hands, carefully roll the dough into a  relatively tight, lengthwise log.
11. Cut into 12 even rolls, and place each roll face up in the pan, with a bit of space between them.
12. Cover the pan with your damp towel again and let rise for 30 min.
13. Bake at 350F for 15-20 min.
14. While baking, add milk to the confectioner's sugar, 1 tsp at a time, and stir until you get a frosting consistency.
15. After the rolls are finished baking, remove from oven and ice/frost as you wish.
16. Enjoy right away, or leave to cool before storing.

I hope they taste good, because I think they look far more decent compared to my rip-off versions.

Good night...

-M