Iced Sweet Rolls from Brave
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Don’t let Harris, Hubert, and Hamish near these rolls!
Seeing as we are focusing on Scottish recipes inspired by Outlander this month along with some early American recipes, I thought it would be fun to play around with this sweet roll recipe and make something a little bit fun! My children love the movie Brave by Pixar, and I also love watching it. It was really fun making a food based around a cartoon, and the kids were completely shocked that it was even possible. In reality, this is a really simple sweet to make and decorate.
This recipe is based off of the sweet roll dough from our July ebook, which will come out later this month. So think of this as a little freebie!
what were the rolls from brave?
Were these yeasted sweet rolls coated in icing actually a dessert that would have been made in Merida’s time period? In my defense, this is a very modernized version of what would have been available to cook in 10th century medieval Scotland.
From what I have read, it appears that it potentially could be made but the ingredients would have to be heavily substituted. Of course, these rolls would have been made with a whole grain flour, wheat being a primarily used grain. A whole grain flour would have made the rolls denser and more robust in flavor compared to the pillowy soft white flour that we use now. Sugar was also not available in Great Britain until the 11th century when it was brought back from India during the Crusades. Sugar was a rarity and used only by the wealthy or royalty, at least until it became more steadily manufactured in the 1500s and eventually made its way across the ocean to the American colonies as well.
What would they have used as a sweetener instead? Honey was the main option! I think these rolls would be quite tasty if made with honey. To make the icing, though? That is another story…
the method:
These rolls are a simple sweet dough, enriched with milk and eggs and butter. They are delightfully soft and sweet, and I added some cinnamon and nutmeg for flavor.
You can make this dough by hand fairly easily, though it works great in a standing mixer, too. I enjoyed making it by hand for the experience. It has a 1 hour bulk fermentation and then a 30 minute rise after shaping. It bakes up in about 22 to 25 minutes, making it a fairly quick bake!
The icing is just royal icing drizzled over the top, and they are finished off with a sweet little maraschino cherry. You get 12 3-inch rolls from this recipe, though they could easily be shaped even smaller for a tinier portion and little hands.
These were super fun to make! After doing my quick bit of research on the historical version of this roll, it kind of makes me want to give them another try. Perhaps that would be fun to share as well, the true versions of these desserts from our favorite shows, books, and movies. What do you think?
I hope you enjoy making these sweet rolls inspired by the movie Brave!
xoxo Kayla
Brave Iced Sweet Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm water
- 2 1/4 tsp (9 g) active dry yeast
- 1/3 (66 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
- 6 tbsp (87 g) salted butter, sliced
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 4 cups (520 g) bread flour
- 2 cups (236 g) powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp meringue powder
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) milk
- 12 maraschino cherries
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Whisk together until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Set this aside while the yeast blooms, or grows and becomes bubbly, about 5 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, warm the milk, butter, and salt until just warm to the touch. Add this to the yeast mixture along with the egg. Whisk until just combined. Slowly begin to add the flour, about 1 cup (130 g) at a time. Stir with a dough whisk, wooden spoon, or in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Continue to add flour until a shaggy dough forms, then knead the dough into a smooth, soft, and slightly sticky ball. It should elastic and bouncy.
- Lightly grease a medium sized bowl and place the ball of dough into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Gently deflate the dough, then turn it out onto the countertop. Divide the dough into 12 equal sized pieces. Shape each piece into a small ball, pinching the bottom seam closed. Arrange the buns on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, keeping them about 3-inches (8-cm) apart. Cover the buns with plastic wrap and let them rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350° (177° C). Bake the buns for 22 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and still a bit soft. Let them rest on a wire cooling rack until they are cooled to room temperature.
- Make the icing. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add the milk and whisk until the icing is thick and holds a trace when drizzled. Drizzle the icing over the cooled buns. Top with a maraschino cherry.
