It is morning, and time for a big cup of joe and a nice hot sticky bun. A great way to start any day.  Nothing can ruin this moment, unless your server brings you the sticky bun nemesis – the cinnamon roll!

Aren’t they the same?  What is the difference?  Several things.

First the similarities: Both pastries are usually served for breakfast. Both are made with a sweet yeast dough.

Now for the differences.

Cinnamon Roll – The dough is rolled out and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and then rolled back on itself. Traditionally, the prepared dough goes through a double-rise preparation to create a light and flaky texture. The roll is then baked and, when finished, topped with icing made from confectioner’s sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Other liquids, like orange juice, can be added for an additional layer of flavor. Occasionally, the cinnamon roll is topped with raisins.

Sticky Bun – The dough is stretched out to create thin layers. Butter, sugar, cinnamon (and sometimes fruit and nuts) are sprinkled on the layers. Then the layers are folded on top of each other and cut into sections. A simple nutty-caramel sauce (sugar, butter and nuts) is made and poured into the bottom of a baking dish and then the finished dough is placed on top of the sauce.  The pan is placed in the oven and baked until the dough rises and is browned.  The finished product is then turned out of the pan upside-down, allowing the melted caramel sauce to drip between the layers.

Whatever side you find yourself on, both are a fantastic way to ingest copious amounts of sugar to get your day going!

Questions?

If you have any questions about this article or flight crew culinary training, contact me at rpeterson@airculinaire.com. For questions about in-flight catering, contact weborders@airculinaire.com.