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Apple Cinnamon Rolls

17/11/2023

Apple Cinnamon Rolls are a delicious variant of the classic cinnamon rolls. Here’s how I would prepare them with an Italian touch:

Ingredients

  • For the dough:

    • 500 g of type 00 flour
    • 100 g of granulated sugar
    • 250 ml of warm milk
    • 100 g of soft butter
    • 1 egg
    • 1 packet of dry yeast (7 g) or 25 g of fresh yeast
    • A pinch of salt

  • For the filling:

    • 2 medium-sized apples
    • 80 g of melted butter
    • 150 g of brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
    • A pinch of nutmeg (optional)

  • For the frosting:

    • 100 g of cream cheese (e.g., Philadelphia)
    • 50 g of soft butter
    • 150 g of powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanillin

Preparation

  1. Start by making the dough: in a large bowl, mix the flour with the sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the egg and start to incorporate.
  2. Warm the milk slightly and blend it into the mixture. Knead, and when it starts to take shape, add the soft butter in pieces. Work until you have a smooth and even dough.
  3. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it doubles in volume.
  4. In the meantime, prepare the filling: peel and cut the apples into small cubes. In a pan, cook the apples with a bit of butter until they soften. Mix the brown sugar with the cinnamon and nutmeg.
  5. Roll out the risen dough into a rectangle on a floured surface. Spread it with melted butter and sprinkle evenly with the sugar and spice mix, then distribute the apple pieces on top.
  6. Roll up the dough starting from the long side to form a log and cut it into slices about 3-4 cm thick.
  7. Arrange the Cinnamon Rolls in a buttered baking dish, leaving a little space between each one. Let them rise again for 30 minutes.
  8. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 °C for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. For the frosting, whip the cream cheese with the soft butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
  10. Spread the frosting on the warm Cinnamon Rolls to let it melt slightly.

Curiosity

The Cinnamon Rolls, or cinnamon buns, are a dessert typically North American that have roots in Swedish and Danish pastry. Their characteristic is the penetrating aroma of cinnamon, which pairs very well with the sweetness of apples.

If you don’t have any of the ingredients for the frosting, you could simply dust the Cinnamon Rolls with a bit of powdered sugar or prepare a simple glaze with powdered sugar and lemon juice. Happy baking!

Apple Cinnamon Rolls