Cinnamon Rolls with Bacon, Bourbon and Hazelnuts

Ingredients:

Dough

• 3/4 cup whole milk, heated to 43°C
• 2 and 1/4 tsp (7 g) active dry yeast
• 80 g butter, room temperature
• 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp. hazelnut vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla paste or 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large CO egg yolks
• 3 and 1/3 cups flour + more as needed
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt

Filling

• 1 and 1/4 tbsp. blanched hazelnuts
• 200g raw bacon (to make 3/4 cup crispy fried bacon bits)
• 80 g butter
• 1 and 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 0.5 cup heavy cream, divided
• 1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tbsp water
• 0.5 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp bourbon
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt

Preparation:

1. Dough. Pour the warm milk into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over it and set aside for 5 minutes. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the vegetable oil and vanilla. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes, then reduce the speed and add the flour and salt. Then fold in the milk and yeast mixture. Replace the attachment with the dough hook and knead into a soft dough. Turn it out onto a floured work surface and continue kneading by hand for 2-3 minutes. The dough should be soft and smooth. Place it in a bowl greased with vegetable oil or butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2-2.5 hours at room temperature, until the dough has doubled in size.
2. Filling. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, about 20 minutes. Cool completely. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until very finely ground; be careful not to overprocess the nuts, as this will turn them into an oily paste. I like to add 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar while blending.
3. Cut the bacon into 1/4-inch pieces. Fry in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until very crisp but not burnt. Drain the fat (or set it aside for another recipe). Finely chop the bacon in a food processor. Alternatively, you can chop the raw bacon in a food processor and then fry it in the skillet, stirring constantly, until crisp. (Be careful, as finely chopped bacon will splatter more in the pan than larger pieces; I always use a splatter screen.) Cool the bacon pieces on paper towels. Mix the cooled bacon with ground hazelnuts.
4. Cut the butter into equal pieces. Place them in a light-colored saucepan (it's important to be able to see the bottom of the pan to judge the color of the butter as it heats) and place over medium heat. Melt the butter, stirring constantly. It will begin to bubble and foam; continue stirring. As the foam subsides, the butter will begin to darken. As soon as you see the butter browning, immediately transfer it to a heatproof bowl to prevent it from browning. To make the spread, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. In a small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup heavy cream and the brown butter. Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately pour it over the sugar and cinnamon mixture, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cool completely.
5. In a small bowl, prepare the glaze., combining the remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, bourbon, and salt. Beat until smooth.
6. Once the dough has risen, grease two 6-cup muffin or cupcake pans. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Roll it out to a 18" x 20" (45 x 50 cm) sheet, 1" thick. Spread the filling on the surface of the dough, leaving a 1" border around the edges to allow for a seal. Brush the border with beaten egg. Set aside about 3/4 cup of the bacon-hazelnut mixture for the topping. Sprinkle the remaining filling over the filling and press to adhere. Roll the dough tightly, pressing down on the egg-brushed areas to seal.
7. Cut the roll into 12 pieces, each slightly more than 4 cm wide. Shape the buns into round shapes (after cutting, one side will become flattened).
8. Carefully place the buns into greased pans. Lightly brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with the remaining bacon-hazelnut mixture (about 1 tablespoon per bun).
9. Cover the buns with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
10. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). I place the pans on a baking sheet because the filling may leak out during baking. Bake the buns for 12 minutes. Rotate the pans and bake until golden brown and cooked through (a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the bun should read 185°F (85°C), about 12 more minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes, then turn the buns out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Generously drizzle the glaze over the buns. Enjoy them the same day or use them for bread pudding.