Description
Soft homemade yeast rolls filled with a thick cinnamon-maple apple filling, shaped into decorative twists, baked until golden, and finished with a simple vanilla glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 500 g bread flour
- 180 g whole milk, lukewarm
- 120 g plain Greek yogurt
- 1 large egg
- 25 g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast (about 3 g)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt (about 6 g)
- 80 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Apple Filling
- 600 g Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into small dice
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 65 g brown sugar
- 50 g pure maple syrup
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 10 g cornstarch
- 15 g water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
Vanilla Glaze
- 120 g powdered sugar
- 1½ tablespoons whole milk, plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch fine salt
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Add the bread flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Pour in the lukewarm milk, Greek yogurt, egg, and melted butter.
- Mix until a rough dough forms, then knead for about 12 to 15 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. It should feel soft without being wet or stiff.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 80 grams each. Shape each piece into a smooth ball, place them on a lightly floured surface or tray, and cover.
- Let the dough rise for about 1 to 1½ hours, or until the balls have roughly doubled in size.
Cook and Cool the Apple Filling
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.
- Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. The edges of the apple pieces should begin to soften, but the fruit should still look distinct rather than mushy.
- Stir the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until smooth. Add the slurry to the apples and cook for about 1 minute, until there is no loose liquid in the skillet and the apples are coated in a thick sauce.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer the filling to a wide, shallow dish and let it cool completely.
Fill and Shape the Rolls
- Work with one dough ball at a time and keep the remaining pieces covered. Roll each piece into a circle about 7½ inches wide.
- Spread about 55 grams of cold apple filling over one half of the circle, leaving a narrow clean border around the edge.
- Fold the unfilled half over the apples to form a half-moon and lightly press along the curved edge.
- Place a chopstick or another thin, straight guide along the center of the folded dough. Make 5 evenly spaced cuts on each side, stopping at the guide so the center remains connected.
- Starting at one end, bring one strip from the left across the center, then one from the right. Continue alternating sides without stretching the dough excessively.
- Tuck the final pieces underneath, gently remove the guide, and place the shaped roll on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Proof and Bake
- Cover the shaped rolls loosely and let them rise for about 30 to 45 minutes, or until noticeably puffy.
- While the rolls are completing their final rise, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Whisk the egg and milk together, then lightly brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, checking from 20 minutes, until the rolls are well risen and golden brown.
- Let the rolls cool for 5 to 10 minutes before glazing.
Add the Vanilla Glaze
- Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt together until smooth.
- If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, add a little more milk, about ½ teaspoon at a time.
- Drizzle the glaze over the slightly warm rolls and let it set for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Apple weight: Measure the 600 grams of apples after peeling and coring.
- Filling temperature: Let the apple filling cool completely before shaping. Warm filling can soften the dough and make the strips difficult to handle.
- Shaping: Keep the center of the folded dough intact when making the side cuts. This section holds the roll together while the strips are crossed.
- Dough texture: The dough should be soft, smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. Avoid adding unnecessary flour while kneading.
- Nutrition: Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the exact ingredients and amounts used.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Rise Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 372
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 238 mg
- Fat: 11.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 2.4 g
- Protein: 8.1 g
- Cholesterol: 57 mg
