Maple Sugar Ragamuffins

Friends, I have good news.

You trying to shed a few pounds there? Maybe, maybe yes? Good, because I can help you with that. I have invented a weight-loss program that can't not succeed.

Here's my fail-proof, 5-step approach:

1. Go to your kitchen.
   
2. Whip up a batch of these Maple Sugar Ragamuffins.
   
3. Why not? Do a few jumping jacks while they bake.
   
4. Eat one, or half of one.
   
5. Get your mind totally blown by sheer, unadulterated sweetness, and lose interest in anything containing sugar for the next, oh, year or two... Or five. Yes, they are that sweet.

See how simple that is? Self-control just became that much easier. You won't need any more sugar for months, if not years. And all because of one simple, unpretentious, little sweet roll. You just wait and see--this recipe will be hailed as the world's greatest health food. The obesity trend in America will be reversed. Mark my words.

So, aside from being shaped like your classic cinnamon roll, these are actually very similar to your classic biscuit. That is, if biscuits were loaded to the ears with sugar, and topped generously with icing.

If you have maple sugar sitting around for this recipe, that's perfect. I don't, so I made my own by adding 1/4 teaspoon of maple flavoring per 1 cup of granulated sugar, and grinding and mashing it in really thoroughly.

Maple Sugar Ragamuffins

adapted from Gourmet

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon maple sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup whole milk

for filling:

6 Tablespoons softened butter

1 cup maple sugar

for icing:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon maple flavoring

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.

Whisk together flour, maple sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Blend in the butter with a pastry blender until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some small pea-size butter lumps. Add milk and toss with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Gently knead dough 10-15 times on a lightly floured surface.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface, into a 13- x 11-inch rectangle. Spread softened butter evenly over dough and sprinkle all over with maple sugar, pressing firmly to help adhere. Beginning with one long side, roll up dough snugly, jelly-roll style. Press to seal the seam. Cut roll crosswise into 1-inch slices. Arrange slices, cut sides down, 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with any leftover maple sugar. Bake until rolls are puffed and golden, about 18 to 20 minutes.

While the rolls are baking, make the maple icing. Mix the powdered sugar, melted butter, milk, and maple flavoring in a bowl, and beat until smooth. Pour the icing all over the rolls, about 10 minutes after they come out of the oven.