easy laminated nutella morning buns

LATELY, I’ve been running into the same remark that brings attention to something I would not have otherwise noticed.  Not on my naturally rustic… understated beauty, nor my deeply reflective overstated fashion.  But, people have been saying to me that they didn’t realize – shit, even I didn’t realize – that my hair has grown, ungovernably… looooong.  Yes, yes they are loooong.  Not prince-bait-golden-Rapenzul long, or mysterious-darkness-of-the-night-Pantene-commercial long, but like, waist-deep-Gandalf-gone-Where-The-Wild-Things-Are long.  Staring at my almost-fire-hazardous self in the mirror, I have come to the unlikely yet true explanation for such disregard …

Simply, I don’t have time for hair-salon.

Madness!  What have I – a mid-30 unemployed female who doesn’t believe in happiness before 1 PM because that’s evidently sleep-deprived illusions – any excuses to look like a historical ruin?  Upon the horrid awakening, I was forced into re-examining, what exactly, consumed my otherwise abundant span of the day.  Then, I realized they are all utterly meaningless, yet indispensable, segments of tasks.

It helps to clarify that if you were a creature of speed who marvels more at efficiencies, such as this blueberry oatmeal cookies or microwavable decadence, you probably won’t fancy such non-sense even with my strongest endorsement.  But if you consider yourself, reasonably, to fall right between the lazies and the crazies, in the fertile fruit-bearing land where surprises and glories come as a result of reasonable efforts, then there’s nothing more exhilarating than knowing that – you can shortcut your way through a butter-laminated dough.  Yes, the road to pastry-hell is paved with good intentions… to simplify.  I mean simply-just is often dangerous.  Simply-just gives you brick-hard cakes and heart-crushing flat biscuits.  Simply-just LIES.  But, I assure you, this discovery is a rare face-pinching exception.  In simply just two folding-effort with just one chilling at the end, you can miraculously achieve these lavish layers of yeasted dough and butter in a fraction of time.

The best thing about this is, if it could get any “best-er” as it is, that you could spend 3 hours the night before and let these proof in the the fridge overnight, then in the next morning, a 15 ~ 20 minutes in a preheated oven, is not a bad rally to restore my lack of faith in morning-happiness.  Hey, I could believe it more if you tell me that everybody, on one level or the other, looks a bit Gandalf-ish in the morning…  Right?

Dust the working surface with flour, then transfer the dough on top.  Roll the dough into a long, 3 1/2″ x 18″ sheet (12 cm x 60 cm).  Try to get it as straight-edged as possible, then trim off the round/irregular ends if you must.  Then scatter the butter-dough in dollops, evenly over the top, then smooth it out into a thin layer with your fingers.  Wash your hands, then fold the dough 5 times from one end to the other, at about every 3″ segment.  Pinch the two opening-sides together and make sure it sticks tightly together, then turn the dough 90 degrees.  Poke a few very small holes for the air inside to escape (this makes the rolling much easier), then roll again into a long, 3 1/2″ x 15″ (12 cm x 50 cm) sheet.  If the dough springs back, gently hold down one end with one hand, and roll it out with the other hand (see photo).  Now, fold the dough 4 times from one end to the other, again at about every 3″ segment.

That’s it.  You’ll have, more-or-less, a rectangular brick of laminated dough.  Place the dough on a sheet-tray and cover with plastic wrap.  Chill for 2 hours.

After chilling, transfer the dough onto a lightly dusted surface, then roll into a 6″ x 12″ (20 cm x 40 cm) sheet.  Spread a generous layer of softened Nutella (must be soft!) over the top, then scroll it length-wise into a long roll.  Trim off the irregular ends if you must (I did), then with a serrated knife, cut into 7 ~ 8 segments about 1 1/2″ wide.  Place each small rolls into large muffin-baking-molds, cover with plastic wrap and let proof for 1.5 to 2 hour at a warm place, until expanded about 70~80% (not fully doubled).  Or you can let it proof in the fridge overnight, for a true lazy “morning” buns.

To bake the rolls:  Preheat the oven at 400ºF/200ºC.  Bake the rolls for 15 ~ 20 min until puffed and browned.

Serve warm!!