Cinnamon Sunflower Pull Aparts

I thought peeling apart layers of warm, cinnamony goodness would be a fun way to eat this treat....and it was, but there was way more labor involved than I was looking for.  ;)  Seriously just roll these bad boys up cinnamon roll style and glaze.  If I want that shape I'll just toss the cut cinnamon roll into the muffin tin and call it a win....ehehehee.  Lazy? Yes, yes I am.

I considered this finger food.  My beloved hubby ate it with a fork.  Not even the epic amount of stink eye I gave him would make him use his fingers....rofl.  Bless his heart he doesn't like messy food.  I go with the messier the better rule myself.  I'm pretty sure that's the inner two year old speaking though.  Wet naps are my friend. 


Cinnamon Sunflower Pull Aparts

3 cups unbleached flour (approx)
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup skim milk
1/3 cup raw honey
1/3 cup tub margarine
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten lightly
3 tbls vital wheat gluten


Filling:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup tub margarine, melted
1 cup sunflower seeds

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2oz cream cheese
1/4 cup tub margarine
1 tsp vanilla

Dissolve yeast in about 1/4 cup warm water. Water from the tap works just fine. Heat milk and margarine together until milk is warm and margarine is melted. I use the microwave to heat the milk instead of the stove top, but either works fine. Stir into dissolved yeast. Mix in honey and salt. Add in a cup of flour and the vital wheat gluten. Stir in eggs. Work in enough flour to create a soft dough. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead in remaining flour. Continue to work your dough for 8 to 10 minutes.

Place dough in covered bowl and let rise for an hour in a warm place. The microwave makes a great spot to rise dough. Take a glass of water and heat it to boiling in the microwave. Leave the glass inside and put the covered bowl inside and shut the door. It's a warm, steamy spot.

Grease jumbo muffin pans.  Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon.  Turn dough back out onto your board and punch down. Sprinkle a little margarine, brown sugar, and sunflower seeds in the bottom of a muffin well.  Cut off a small portion of dough and flatten it into a thin round.  Place in the bottom of the muffin pan.  Brush margarine across the top and sprinkle it with the brown sugar mixture and sunflower seeds.  Cut off another portion of dough, flatten it into a thin round, and layer it on top of the last one.  Brush with margarine and sprinkle on the sugar and sunflower seeds.  Repeat until your muffin cups are 3/4 full.  Leave the final layer bare of sugar, butter, and sunflower seeds.  Repeat the same process with the other muffin wells.

Cover the muffin pans and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.  Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes until nicely browned.  Turn out of pans to cool.  Mix together icing ingredients and drizzle over the tops of the warm stacks.  Nom!



 A couple more pics....

Fresh out of the oven and just waiting on a slew of glaze.  Hmmm....I could have done a right side up version instead of inverted.....skip adding margarine, sugar, and sunflower seeds to the muffin wells and add it to the top of the final layer of dough instead. 

A non sunflower seed version......which seemed quite boring.