Cinnamon rolls are a weakness of mine that had its origins when I was a child and Tip Top Bakeries used to produce a loaf called Cinnamon Swirl. When that loaf disappeared some 20 years ago, a visit to a Cinnabon in the UK in 2012 rekindled my love and left me with no other choice but to bake them myself for a few years upon returning until I discovered IKEA sold them fresh out of the oven for $2.00. Unfortunately, my latest visit to IKEA saw them replaced by jam doughnuts, so when a recent visit to Macquarie Centre in December unveiled a newly opened CinnZeo Bakery Cafe with its tantalising aromas wafting throughout the centre, I was ready to surrender.
CinnZeo Bakery Cafe is a Canadian chain based in Calgary selling their version of cinnamon rolls called Cinnarolls.
The shop is having early teething issues with both prices and labels missing for all their products. But I’ll give it some more time before passing further judgement. From the cabinet, it looks as if they have the original with cream cheese frosting, with caramel fudge and cooked apple, and with roasted pecans and caramel fudge. A mini roll is $6.40, while a regular roll is $7.40.
This is the Caramel Apple Roll ($7.40) with ‘layers of pastry, cinnamon and sugar’ topped with baked apple and caramel fudge.
The taste of these rolls lived up to their divine smell. While the pastry may look dense, the mouthfeel was warm, tender and soft. And the thin layers provided plenty of surface area for the cinnamon and sugar mixture, which was perfectly balanced to avoid the cinnamon from overpowering. (D, who’s usually sensitive to overuse of cinnamon also enjoyed it!) The cooked apples on top were fresh and retained bite for some crunch and acidity to cut through the sweetness of the caramel fudge. I’m a firm fan but do wish the prices were more accessible.
CinnZeo Bakery Cafe is located at Level 1 (opposite Big W), Cnr Herring Rd & Waterloo Rd, Macquarie Park NSW 2113