APPLE-CINNAMON ROLLS
“We’re closed until lunch,” he said, “but there’s coffee.”
“And a cinnamon roll?” Julia asked hopefully.
Barbie shook his head. “Rose didn’t make them. Trying to conserve the gennie as much as possible.”
“Makes sense,” she said. “Just coffee, then.”
He had carried the pot with him, and poured. “You look tired.”
“Barbie, everyone looks tired this morning. And scared to death.”
Under the Dome
Chester’s Mill was cut off from the rest of Maine, and the world, just before noon on October 21. The military labeled it The Dome, and so it became Dome Day, and eventually, the Year of the Dome, though no one seems to remember the exact year it came down. Shame they couldn’t have had fresh cinnamon rolls the next morning to soothe what must have been some frayed nerves, even for unshakable Yankees.
Start this recipe the night before for fresh, homemade apple-cinnamon rolls in the morning.
Makes 12 rolls
INGREDIENTS
Dough
- 3¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons instant dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup buttermilk (see “Buttermilk,” this page)
- 3 eggs
- 6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Filling
- 2 medium apples (such as Cortland, Pink Lady, or Gala), peeled, cored, and chopped small
- ⅓ cup golden raisins
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup buttermilk (see “Buttermilk,” this page)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
METHOD
To make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the buttermilk, eggs, butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until well combined, then turn the speed to low and gradually add the flour, mixing to form a rough ball. Switch to the dough hook and knead the mixture on low speed for 6 to 8 minutes. The dough should be soft and tacky, but not sticky.
Pour the vegetable oil over the dough and roll it around in the bowl a few times to completely coat. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and then a plate. Set the bowl in a warm, draft-free place to rise for 1½ to 2 hours, until the dough is doubled in size and the dough springs back when poked.
To make the filling: In a small bowl, combine the apples, raisins, cinnamon, and lemon juice and toss together.
Butter a 9 by 13-inch ceramic or glass baking dish.
On a lightly floured work surface, using a rolling pin and even pressure, roll the dough out from the center in all four compass directions: north, south, east, and west. Turn and loosen the dough occasionally as you continue to roll it into an 18 by 12-inch rectangle. Leaving a ½-inch border on one long edge, brush the dough with the melted butter. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and then the apples.
Starting with the long end covered in filling, roll the dough into a tight, 18-inch-long log. Pinch the seam closed, then, using a serrated knife, saw the log into twelve 1½-inch portions. Arrange the rolls, spirals up, in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or up to 12 hours.
Take the rolls out of the fridge about 45 minutes before baking, loosening the plastic wrap so that they can rise freely, and set in a warm, draft-free place to rise until doubled in size.
Position an oven rack on the middle rung and heat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the rolls until they are puffed and light golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the dish to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.
To make the icing: In a medium bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
Drizzle the icing across the rolls in the baking dish. Cut or pull apart into individual rolls and serve.