My nickname from my Omi (grandmother) in Germany when I was little was “Schneckennudel”, which is a compound word (snail + noodle) which means, in essence, Cinnamon Roll. Not getting into the technicalities, but they are more like a Pain aux Raisin in Germany, but still. Ever since then, I think of my Omi when I make somethng like these for breakfast.
I drizzled honey over these swirls when I took them out of the oven, but maple syrup woould also be pretty great.
Ingredients
2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg, at room temperature
for the filling
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 and 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 baking apples, peeled, cored and cut to very thin slices
2-3 tablespoons honey
Directions
Make the dough: Set aside 1/2 cup of flour. In a large bowl, toss the 2 and 1/4 cups flour, the sugar, salt, and yeast together until evenly dispersed. Set aside.
Heat the water, milk, and butter together in the microwave until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot to touch. About 100-110F degrees. Stir the butter mixture into the flour mixture. Add the egg and only enough of the reserved flour to make a soft dough (you might not need the full reserved 1/2 cup). Dough will be ready when it gently pulls away from the side of the bowl and has an elastic consistency. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about 3-4 minutes. Form a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl (I used non-stick spray). Cover tightly and let rest for 30 minutes. The dough will slightly rise.
Make the filling: Place apple slices on a plate lined with paper towels, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar and warm the apple slices in the microwave until pliable (about 2-3 minutes on high; test but try rolling one up tightly. It should bend but not break.) Roll the dough out in a 15×12 inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter on top. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle it all over the dough. Spray a 9-inch pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Using a very sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into eight 1 to 1 1/2-inch wide strips. Lay apple slices overlapping each other (but slightly peeking off the edge of the dough). Loosely roll up one strip and place it in the center of the pan. You’re rolling it up loosely so the dough has some give as it rises. repeat with the remaining strips. Some of the filling may spill out as you pick up the strips, but I just sprinkled that on top of the cake after I was finished spiraling. Loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 45-60 minutes.
After the dough has nearly doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350F. Bake for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned. While the swirls are baking, some spots may rise up more than other spots. That’s completely normal and well, quite expected! I pressed down on the pieces that had slid up with the back of a spatula.
Remove the swirls when they are nice and golden brown. Allow the cake to cool for about 10 minutes. Then, right before serving, drizzle with the honey. Best served immediately.
