Celebrate the New Year with Dominique Ansel's Champagne Morning Rolls

There is only one thing on our minds this morning and that is Dominique Ansel’s champagne morning rolls. These gooey buns are the perfect way to ring in a fabulous new year. The renowned pastry chef suggests serving them up alongside a double macchiato, and not letting a drop of that delicious icing go to waste: “Drizzle it onto cookies or brownies. You get a hint of tartness and a really nice extra level of depth in flavor,” he says. Pop some bubbly and get baking—recipe below!

Champagne Morning Rolls

These can be made one day ahead.

Makes: 9 rolls

Ingredients:

For the dough:

3¼ cups all purpose flour

3 tsp salt

4½ tbsp sugar

2½ tsp dry yeast

5½ eggs

2 tbsp milk

2 sticks plus 1 tbsp softened unsalted butter, cubed

For the cinnamon filling:

2 cups dark brown sugar, packed

2¾ sticks of butter

2 tbsp molasses

1 tbsp cinnamon

Grated zest of 1 lemon

For the champagne icing:

4½ cups icing sugar

1 cup champagne

Grated zest of 1 lemon

(TIP: you can use any sparkling wine for this recipe—champagne, cava, prosecco, etc. We love using sparkling rosé, too, since it gives the icing a really nice light pink color!)

For the base of the baking dish:

¾ cup brown sugar

½ stick unsalted butter, cut into 1cm cubes

Directions:

1. To make the dough: Combine flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Mix at medium speed until combined. Gradually stream in milk, and then the eggs. Mix for 6-7 minutes, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

2. Continue to mix on medium speed and gradually add in cubed butter. Mix until butter is fully incorporated and the dough looks smooth and shiny.

3. Remove the dough from the mixer and form into a ball. Let the dough sit in a bowl, covered in plastic wrap at room temperature for 1 hour. (The dough will expand to approximately 1½ times in size.)

4. Punch down the dough, re-cover with plastic wrap, and transfer to the fridge to chill for 3-4 hours (the dough can also be stored in the fridge overnight).

5. To make the cinnamon filling: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in the dark brown sugar, molasses, lemon zest and cinnamon until smooth. Let cool and set aside.

6. To assemble the rolls: Lightly grease a 9X9" baking dish or cake pan with cooking spray, then sprinkle generously with dark brown sugar and tiny (1 cm) cubes of unsalted butter.

7. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about ¼” thick, with the longer sides on the top and bottom. (TIP: If you don’t have a rolling pin, use a wine bottle!)

8. Spread the cinnamon filling evenly across the dough, leaving a 1” border along the top edge.

9. Roll the dough from the bottom up into a long horizontal log. Slice into 2½ slices to create 9 rolls.

10. Place the rolls into the cake pan cut-side up, cover gently with plastic wrap and let stand for 2 hours at room temperature (or overnight).

11. Preheat oven to 350° F.

12. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the tops are golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through (to check for doneness, the center of the rolls should spring back when pressed gently).

13. Remove from oven. Let cool for 15 minutes, then invert onto a serving platter.

14. Combine the icing sugar and champagne in a medium bowl. Using a whisk or an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Drizzle the icing onto the rolls and finish with a bit of grated lemon zest. Serve warm.