Pillowy Cinnamon Rolls

I wanted to make King Arthur's Perfectly Pillowy Cinnamon Rolls - but I decided to change the filling and the topping. I polled a small audience, and they voted for an apple cinnamon filling. I decided on a brown sugar glaze instead of an icing. I also made a double recipe so Doug could have several, and we could share.

 

Ingredients:

Tangzhong:

• 1 cup (220g) whole milk (I used 1% plus a pat of butter)
• 6 tablespoons (46g) bread flour

Dough:

• 8 ounces sourdough starter (240 grams)
• 5/6 cup (100g) whole milk, cold (I used water + 1/2 cup powdered milk)
• 1.5 cups (180g) bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons (50g) granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 8 tablespoons (114g) unsalted butter, softened

Filling:

• 2 cups (~12 ounces) peeled, grated apple
• 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 Tangzhong: 
2. Combine both the ingredients in a small saucepan, and whisk until no lumps remain..
3. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook the mixture, stirring regularly, until thickened, paste-like, and the spoon or spatula leaves lines on the bottom of the pan. This should take 1 to 3 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, let cool a few minutes in the bread machine bowl while you weigh out other ingredients.
   
   
5. Make up the dough: To the tangzhong, add the sourdough starter, water, yeast, sugar, butter, and flour in the bowl of the bread machine.
   
6. Set the bread machine on dough cycle, and let it mix and proof the dough.
      
7.  Make up the filling: Add the grated apple  to a medium sauce pan.
   
8. Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon, and add to the pan, stirring to distribute throughout the apples.
9. Cook over low heat for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently.
10. After the apples start to release their juices, increase the heat to medium, and bring to a simmer.
11. 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. 
12. Remove from the heat, and let cool to room temperature.
13. Mist two 9 x 13 casserole pans with cooking spray.
       
14. Assemble the rolls: Gently deflate the risen dough, scoop it onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough in half. 
15. Pat the first half into a 12" x 18" rectangle. Spread half the filling over the dough.
    
    
    
    
16.  Roll the dough up along the shorter side.
17. Using dental floss, cut into 12 evenly sized pieces, and place in one of the casserole pans.
    
    
    
    
18. Repeat steps 15 - 17 on the second dough piece.
    
    
    
    
19. Cover the pans with plastic wrap lightly misted with cooking spray, and allow to rise for 30 to 60 minutes until they are quite puffy.
20. Preheat oven to 375.
21. Bake for 20 minutes until they’re a light golden brown and a digital thermometer inserted into the center of one roll reads 190°F. (I swapped the pans between racks after about 10 minutes.)
      
    
22. While they are 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.
23. When the rolls come out of the oven, brush each roll with the brown sugar glaze. (Use a second coat as well.)
    

Carole's Notes:

We really liked these! The rolls were very soft, and were quite tasty.

The recipe is adapted from https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/perfectly-pillowy-cinnamon-rolls-recipe and from https://carolelikesroundfood.blogspot.com/2020/05/cinnamon-apple-swirl-rolls_23.html