Apple butter twirls
It’s been awhile, but Breakfast Club is back! And after finding some inspiration via Pinterest with Cakecrumbs’ cinnamon knots, I decided to replicate the pretty manipulation of the pastry, but using one of my preferred dough recipes. Unfortunately, my execution fell flat.
I selected the Chinese 5 Spice cinnamon bun dough recipe (adapted from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart), and used some of the apple butter I recently made and stashed in the fridge (that’s what you do when you have too many apples laying around … make fruit butter!). I followed Cakecrumbs’ instructions for slashing the dough and forming the knots … and had a mess on my hands.
Maybe it was the apple butter. Maybe it was my dough, which didn’t want to play nicely. But after poorly shaping my “knots” into clumps on the parchment, I decided to make the rest as just twirls (no knotting).
Though I baked up both, I much prefer the look of the twirls, and the execution is very easy. The dough baked up a gorgeous golden color, partly in thanks to my vanilla egg white wash, and I couldn’t resist using some coarse sugar for sprinkling. These are best warm, so if you’re eating them the morning after baking, warm them up in the microwave for 15 seconds … your taste buds will thank you!
Ingredients
Directions
Cream the butter and sugar for 2 minutes on medium high in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Scrape down the bowl.
Add the eggs and mix until smooth.
Scrape down the bowl again.
Combine the flour, salt and yeast in a separate bowl, stirring gently to combine.
Add the dry ingredients, 1 large spoonful at a time.
The mixture will look mealy, but that's okay.
Pour the milk in a steady steam into the bowl and you continue to mix. Add the vanilla.
Mix on low until the dough begins to form a ball. If it seems too sticky, gradually add the additional flour until all the dough pulls away from the bowl.
Remove the mixer's blade and put on the dough hook. Knead with the dough hook for 8-10 minutes until the dough is supple and a little tacky, but not sticky.
Lightly oil 2 mixing bowls (I used a canola spray) and divide the dough into 2 balls. Place one in each bowl and roll it around to coat with the oil.
Cover the bowls with plastic wrap and place them in a slightly warm spot. Let them sit, undisturbed, for 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
After 2 hours, punch the dough down and prepare your work space to form the twirls.
Divide the dough in two. Roll each portion into a torpedo-like shape and divide evenly into 10, for a grand total of 20.
Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough portion into an oval.
Spread 1 tsp of apple butter onto the dough, spreading it out with a spatula.
Using a sharp knife, slice the dough lengthwise, making long strips, but leave the edge farthest away from you intact.
Begin with the intact end and roll it up on an angle, making a mini torpedo. Pinch down the ends and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Repeat with the other remaining dough pieces.
Proof the knots at room temperature for 60-75 minutes in a warm spot, or until they've have nearly doubled in size.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, centering the racks in the oven.
Make the glaze by whisking the egg whites and vanilla together. Brush onto the twirls, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes until golden.
Cool on a rack before storing. These are excellent fresh from the oven, but if you need to store them, simply toast them in a toaster oven for a minute or two before serving, or warm them in a microwave for 15 seconds.
Categories: breakfast club, pastry, recipe