Cinnamon Sugar:
- In a small bowl, add all the ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Smoked, Salted Brown Butter:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter to melt, swirling often until the milk solids toast and the butter reaches a deep brown color.
- Pour the brown butter into a bowl set over an ice bath and continue to stir until it turns to a more-firm, softened butter.
- To smoke the brown butter, mold a double-layer of aluminum foil into a 3” (7.5cm) diameter bowl and place into a large heat-proof container (such as an aluminum hotel pan, or a deep baking or roasting pan). Into the foil bowl, add a couple ½” (12mm) nuggets of compressed wood. Light the nuggets with a kitchen torch until they’re fully charred and beginning to smoke. Lightly blow on them until smoking.
- Place the bowl of brown butter into the pan with the smoking nuggets of wood. Cover the pan and smoke for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid, taste the butter and repeat the process again if you prefer a more smoky flavor. Set aside at room temperature.
Cream Cheese Icing:
- In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese and butter. Using an electric hand mixer, beat together until smooth and homogeneous.
- Add the powdered sugar, in batches, and beat until the icing is smooth without any lumps.
- Beat in vanilla paste and then add the milk incrementally, about 2 teaspoons at a time, to thin out until the icing reaches a consistency thin enough to drizzle, but not watery.
Dough:
- In a large bowl, add the flour and salt and whisk to combine.
- Lightly grease a separate, large bowl with vegetable oil.
- Heat the water to 95℉ (35℃) and add the yeast. Whisk to combine and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Pour the yeast mixture into the seasoned flour and mix by hand until a rough dough forms. Then, with your hand in a scoop shape, knead the dough by picking it up and slapping it against the bowl, repeatedly for a few minutes, until the dough starts to pull from the sides of the bowl and becomes smooth. Continue to knead the dough until taut and smooth, 3-4 minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto a work surface, roll into a smooth ball, and place in the greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size. Alternatively, the dough can rise and cold ferment in the fridge overnight.
- Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 16 even pieces (around 70-80g each). Roll them into light balls, cover with a damp towel, and rest for 10 minutes.
- Roll each ball into a 3.5” (9cm) sausage shape and place in an 8x8” (20x20cm) pan, which will fit 2 rows of 4. Repeat with a second pan. Cover both pans with plastic wrap, and proof at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ (220℃).
- Generously brush the sticks with clarified butter, making sure to use all of it.
- Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and immediately brush the breadsticks with all of the smoked brown butter then generously sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of each (but not all of it).
- Immediately remove the buttered and sugared buns from the baking pans and place on a cooling rack to maintain the crispy bottoms.
- Place the breadstick on a sheet tray or a serving platter with a ramekin of your cream cheese icing. Optionally drizzle some of the icing on top of the breadsticks and enjoy while still warm.