Description
Pillowy rolls infused with warm chai spices, sitting on a sticky brown-sugar chai caramel, filled with spiced brown sugar, and finished with a chai-spiked cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (for blooming the yeast)
- 4 3/4 cups (593 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very soft
Chai Caramel Sauce (for the pan)
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream
- 2 chai tea bags
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very soft
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/3 cup (116 g) honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Chai Filling
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very soft
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream (to pour between rolls before baking)
Chai Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, very soft
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup (97 g) powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Pinch of ground cloves
Instructions
Warm the milk to about 110°F (43°C). In a small bowl combine the warm milk, 1 teaspoon sugar and the yeast. Stir gently and let sit 10 minutes until the surface becomes foamy.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl) whisk together the flour, spices (cinnamon through cloves), salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Add the beaten eggs, vanilla and the very soft butter. Pour in the yeast-milky mixture. Attach the dough hook and knead on medium speed 7–10 minutes until the dough pulls away from the bowl, forms a smooth ball and springs back when pressed. If kneading by hand, work the dough until it reaches the same texture.
Form the dough into a ball, transfer it to a greased large bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 to 1½ hours.
While the dough rises, warm the heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat until it steams (do not boil). Remove from heat and steep the two chai tea bags in the hot cream for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags and allow the chai-infused cream to cool to room temperature.
In a medium bowl combine the softened butter, brown sugar, chai spices, honey, vanilla and salt. Stir in the cooled chai cream until fully incorporated. Spread this mixture evenly in the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
In a small bowl cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, chai spices and salt until well blended. Set aside.
After the dough has doubled, punch it down to release air and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into an approximately 18 × 12-inch rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Spread the chai brown sugar filling evenly over the dough using an offset spatula.
Starting from the long edge nearest you, roll the dough tightly into a log. Trim the ends to even the log and cut into twelve 1½-inch pieces. (For neat slices use unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife.)
Arrange the rolls cut-side up over the chai caramel in the prepared pan. Pour room-temperature heavy cream (about 1/4 cup / 60 ml) into the gaps between the rolls to keep them moist and help the caramel bubble up around the bottoms.
Cover the pan loosely with oiled plastic wrap and proof in a warm spot until the rolls double in size, about 45–60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) about 15 minutes before baking. Bake the proofed rolls 29–32 minutes until they are golden brown on top and cooked through (around 30 minutes is typical). If the tops darken too quickly, tent with foil for the final minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the rolls cool 10 minutes.
While the rolls bake, beat the butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl until light and smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and chai spices and mix on low until combined, then increase speed and whip until the frosting becomes fluffy.
Spread the chai cream cheese frosting over the warm (not piping hot) rolls so it melts slightly into the swirls. Serve warm.
Notes
- Bloom the yeast in the correct temperature milk: 100–110°F (37–43°C). Too hot and the yeast will die.
- Measure flour by weight for consistent results. Too much flour makes dense rolls.
- Lightly oil the plastic wrap covering the rolls during proofing so it won’t stick to the dough.
- Use dental floss to slice for tidy, even rounds.
- If your rolls brown too fast, cover loosely with foil while they finish baking.
- To make ahead: shape the rolls, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Remove, let come to room temp and finish the proof before baking.
- Leftovers keep in an airtight container at room temp for a couple of days or refrigerated up to 4 days. Reheat briefly to restore softness.