There's something about cinnamon sugar that I just love to bits and back. The only donuts I will eat are cinnamon donuts, forget the glazed ones or the jam filled ones or whatever. My favourite kind of french toast has a generous dash or two of cinnamon. Same goes with custard, there's just something about a light dusting of cinnamon that just does it for me. It's such a fantastic spice, I use it in soups and stews and curries and desserts. I love it. LOVE IT! Enough said.I saw a recipe for Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rollups on Pinterest a few weeks ago and told myself I must add it to my to-do list. Then a few days ago a girlfriend sends me the very same recipe and said I MUST make it. Well, not one to disappoint, I did and wow, simple ingredients, relatively easy and super uber yummy. Complete crowd pleaser. Everyone who tried it asked what pastry I used and everyone was pleasantly surprise to hear the answer was "pastry? what pastry?". The fact white bread can be transformed into this heavenly crunch with just butter and cinnamon sugar is just crazy. Give it a go.
Cream Cheese Cinnamon Crunch Rollups
20 slices white bread -decrusted (should be a real word)
250g cream cheese - softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/4 cup sugar - for filling
3/4 cup sugar - for cinnamon sugar
2-4 teaspoons of cinnamon powder - personal choice but I went with 4 of course
75g butter - melted
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray or 2 with baking paper.
2. Use a rolling pin and roll bread until flattened.
3. Mix cream cheese, egg, vanilla and 1/4 cup sugar. Then spoon about a tablespoon of cream cheese mixture on each slice.
4. Spread the mixture and roll bread into a little cigar.
5. Mix remaining sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Brush rolled bread with butter all over, roll in cinnamon sugar and place on tray.
6. Place in oven for about 20 minutes. The rolls will plump up a little so don't place them too close together.
7. Let cool slightly, just enough not to burn your tongue and then shove in face warm. It's pretty good cold too but having it warm and fresh from the oven is something else!! Enjoy.
