Cinnamon Apple Swirl Rolls

I have been baking snacks (bribes?) for the video/sound/worship crew, and have been thinking about sourdough cinnamon rolls for a while. I saw a fancy version, which I adapted for these Cinnamon Apple Swirl Rolls, since Doug likes apple fritters. I made a double batch using a soft dough recipe I like.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 16 ounces sourdough starter (or  8 ounces water + 8 ounces flour +1/2 teaspoon yeast)
• 1/2 cup + 4 to 6 tablespoons  lukewarm water, to make a soft, smooth dough
• 3  teaspoons instant yeast
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup canola  oil
• 1 cup (92g) dried potato flakes (from instant mashed potatoes)
• 254  gr All-Purpose Flour (9 ounces, ~2 mounded cups)
• 1/2  cup  nonfat milk powder
• 2 teaspoon salt

Filling:

• 2 cups (~12 ounces) peeled, grated apple
• Optional - 1 tablespoon lemon juice (I think I used the juice of one lime)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons (42g) cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Glaze:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Make up the dough: Mix sourdough starter, 1/2 cup water, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let proof for 5 minutes or so.
2. Add oil to mix.
3. Stir in potato flakes until well incorporated.
4. Knead in flour,  milk powder, and salt for about 5 minutes, adding up 2 tablespoons more water as needed.
5. Place dough in a greased bowl, and let rise for 60 minutes or until doubled.
      
6.  Make up the filling: Stir the the grated apple with the lemon juice in a saucepan. 
7. Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon, and add to the pan, stirring to distribute throughout the apples.
8. Cook over low heat for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently.
9. After the apples start to release their juices, increase the heat to medium, and bring to a simmer.
10. Simmer and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture thickens such that you can drag a spatula across the bottom of the pan and leave a track. 
11. Remove from the heat, and let cool to room temperature.
12. Prepare two half sheet pans (13" x 18") with either a Silpat sheet or parchment paper.
       
13. Assemble the rolls: Gently deflate the risen dough, scoop it onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough in half. 
14. Roll the first half into a 12" x 20" rectangle. Spread half the filling over 2/3 of the rolled-out dough, leaving one third clear of filling.
      



15. Fold the un-topped section over the middle section.
    
    
    
    
16. Fold the left section on top of the right side, making a skinny stack. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, and gently roll out so the dough is about 7" x 12".
    
    
    
    
17. Cut the dough into 12 strips with a pizza cutter or knife.  (I suggest cutting it in half, and each half into quarters, and then each quarter into 3 pieces.)
    
    
18. Holding one end, twist the strip tightly. Make a loop with the twist, tucking the ends together.  Be sure to secure the ends. (Perhaps watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlXagPeCJyk )
19. Make up all the strips, place on a half sheet pan. Cover lightly with plastic film, let rise for 45 to 60 minutes until doubled. Repeat for second half of dough. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    
    
20. After the rolls have doubled in size, place just the first pan in the oven. (I had two racks spaced evenly in the oven, and a piece of cooking steel on the bottom rack. I put the first rack on the cooking steel.)
21. Bake for about 8 minutes. While the first pan is baking, heat the glaze (1 cup of water and 1/2 cup brown sugar) in a pan on the stove, stirring to dissolve the brown sugar.
22. Move the top pan to the upper shelf, rotating pan as well. Put the second pan on the lower shelf.
23. Bake for another 8 minutes, or until the rolls have some nice browning. Remove it from the oven, and move the rolls to a wire rack to cool.
24. Move the second pan up, rotating it as well. Let the second pan bake for about 8 minutes, until the the rolls have some nice browning.
25. Lightly brush each rolls with the  glaze. (I suggest waiting 5 minutes after the first glazing, and then re-glazing.)

Carole's Notes:

We really liked this! The dough is soft and pillow-y, the filling is apple cinnamon, and the glaze makes everything pop. Make sure if you make this double recipe you have people to share them with!

I'm quite pleased with how they turned out!@ (You could also use your favorite sweet dough recipe that uses about 4 cups of flour.)

The recipe  idea is from
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes-menus/circus-bakery-cinnamon-roll-recipe-article
The filling is adapted from
adapted from https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/cinnamon-apple-twist-bread-recipe
and the dough is lightly adapted from https://carolelikesroundfood.blogspot.com/2020/02/sourdough-star-cheese-bread.html