Brown Butter Chai Cinnamon Rolls

Dough

• 3/4 cup (180 g) whole milk, plus extra for icing
• 2 chai tea bags or 2-3 tsp loose chai tea powder
• 1 packet (7 g) instant yeast
• 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 3 cups (360 g) bread flour
• 3/4 tsp (4 g) salt

Filling

• 75 g browned butter, cooled until spreadable (start with 90 g unsalted butter)
• 150 g packed light brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2/3 tsp cardamom
• 1/3 tsp allspice
• 1/3 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp salt plus a small pinch

Icing

• 84 g browned butter, cooled until soft (start with 100 g butter)
• 7 g soft cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp chai-infused milk
• Extra milk only as needed

Method

1. Heat milk until steaming. Infuse tea for 10 minutes and strain or remove bags. Reserve 2 tsp for icing; measure 180 g for dough, topping up with milk if needed. Cool to warm.
2. Combine chai milk, yeast, sugar, egg, yolk and melted butter. Add flour and salt; knead 8-10 minutes.
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight or rise at room temperature up to 2 hours until roughly doubled.
4. Brown butter and cool. Measure 75 g for filling and 84 g for icing; combine filling ingredients into a paste.
5. Roll dough out, spread filling, roll up and cut 8 rolls. Place in greased dish; proof until puffy, 45-90 minutes (up to 2 hours if chilled).
6. Bake at 350°F for 22-27 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, beat icing ingredients and spread over rolls.