Rachel Ponce De Leon's Raymond Carver Recipe

"You probably need to eat something," the baker said. "I hope you'll eat some of my hot rolls. You have to eat and keep going. Eating is a small, good thing in a time like this," he said.

I've selected a cinnamon roll recipe in honor of "A Small, Good Thing" from Raymond Carver's Cathedral. It is probably Carver's most overtly tragic story, and features a properly transcendent conclusion. The bread at the end of this piece satiates the protagonists and the reader, who has shared their great torment. You may read the full story here. If you are my kind of reader, hunter of the immense post-read stillness, buy Cathedral--or any Carver collection--from our Literature section. Few match him.

Ingredients:
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1 cup warm whole milk (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

Filling:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted, divided 

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:
Dissolve yeast in warm milk. In another bowl, combine sugar, butter, eggs, salt, yeast mixture and 2 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).
Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Punch down dough; divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 portion into an 11x8-in. rectangle. Brush with 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle with half the brown sugar mixture to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. Cut into 8 slices; place in a greased 13x9-in. pan, cut side down. Cover with a kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°.
Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
For frosting, beat butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt until blended; gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar. Spread over tops. Refrigerate leftovers.

Buy Cathedral Here