Oaxacan Fire Biscuit-Dough Cinnamon Buns with Hazelnut Praline Frosting

By DomesticMuse

Rich, sweet biscuit dough is rolled around a chocolate, chile-cinnamon-pecan filling and glazed with a hazelnut praline frosting.

These buns are a snap to make using a quick, homemade biscuit dough: no yeast OR shortening required!

Make the hazelnut praline the night before.

Ingredients

• For the rolls:
• 2 1/4 c. White Lily self-rising flour
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1 1/8 c. heavy cream
• 3 T melted butter
• 7 T packed dark brown sugar
• 1 T. cinnamon
• 3 T Hershey's Special dark cocoa
• 1 t. ancho chile powder
• 1/2 t. chipotle chile powder
• 1/4 t. cayenne
• 2/3 c. toasted chopped pecans
• For the frosting:
• 1/4 c. softened cream cheese
• 3 T buttermilk
• 1 1/4 c. powered sugar
• 4 T. hazlenut praline powder, see below
• For Hazlenut Praline:
• 1/2 c, hazlenuts (without skin)
• 1/2 c. sugar

Preparation

Step 1

For the rolls:
1. Preheat the oven to 425.
2. Combine the flour and sugarin a medium bowl.
3. Add the cream to make a soft dough.
4. Sprinkle the top of the dough with 1-2 T of flour and knead 3 times in the bowl.
5. Place the dough on a 19" long piece of waxed paper sprinkled generously with flour. With a well-floured rolling pin, gently roll out into a rectangle 18" long by 10" wide, with the long side facing you.
Place on a baking sheet, cover with an additional sheet of waxed paper, and refrigerate for 20 min.
6. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, ancho and chipotle chile powders, and the cocoa powder.
7. Remove the dough and place it, still on the waxed paper, on a work surface. Remove the top piece of waxed paper. Brush the biscuit dough with with 1 T of the melted butter.
8. Spread the cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough. Sprinkle on the chopped pecans.
9. Beginning with the long edge nearest you, and using the waxed paper as an aid, roll the dough up tightly into a cylinder, like a jelly roll. Don't worry if the dough tears a bit or if some of the filling comes out.
10. Use a sharp, serrated knife to cut the dough into 1" slices.
11. Spray a 9" round cake pan with nonstick spray.
12. Place the slices, cut side down, into the pan. Brush with the remaining 2 T of melted butter.
13. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the dough comes out clean.
14. Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes, while you make the frosting.

For the Hazelnut Praline:
Combine the hazelnuts and the sugar in a small, heavy (NOT NONSTICK) saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and turns a beautiful golden color. Immediately remove from the heat and pour onto a greased baking sheet. Allow to cool completely. When cool, break into pieces and pulverize into a golden powder in the food processor.

For frosting:
Combine the the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, the buttermilk, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium speed until well-comibned. Beat in the praline powder, blending well.

Invert the warm rolls onto a plate and re-invert onto a serving plate, so they are right-side up. While still warm, spread with the frosting and serve.