breakfast with the Rockettes ... Apple Cider Sweet Rolls

Every Thanksgiving growing up started the same way:  warm Pillsbury whack-a-tube caramel rolls and Swiss Miss hot chocolate with extra marshmallows in front of the TV watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in our PJs.  We’d sing along with whatever popstar was floating down 5^th Avenue, ooh and aah at the balloons, wait eagerly for the Broadway numbers, wonder why the Rockettes weren’t freezing and freely judge the Santa was based on very important factors like beard length (Was it real? Incredibly important) and costume authenticity.  Then we usually snacked on the turkey livers, squirted some Reddi-Whip in our mouths when our mom wasn’t looking and waited out the long, endless afternoon until Thanksgiving dinner and a few football games.

I still watch the parade, usually while finishing up a few pies to take to a friends house but I no longer eat those whack-a-tube rolls. Though they hold a fond place in my childhood holiday memories, they’re just not that great.  These days, I make my own.  Hot chocolate too. They’re better than the manufactured versions in so many ways.

A few weeks ago, in an attempt to deal with a ridiculous amount of apples in my possession, I created an Apple Cider Compote to top buttermilk pancakes.  Having a lot of apples and a lot of cider on hand, it just made sense to combine the two into a flavorful, chunky spiced compote. I grew quite enamored with the recipe.  I put it on everything – pancakes, my morning oatmeal, a bowl of ice cream.  One morning involved a messy piece of toast, piled high with syrupy apples. It was delicious though not ideal … I can do this better.

Right then and there, I gathered the ingredients for a sweet rolls, changing my standard dough to accommodate what I had on hand and avoid yet another trip to the store. I swapped out the buttermilk for whole milk and worked more butter into the dough for a richer, more tender bun.  For the filling, I diced the apples a little finer and cooked the cider syrup down a bit more than the original compote so it wouldn’t be too wet and soggy.  Then I just went for it.

I’m glad I did.  These are everything that is great about this season – warm, comforting, a little spicy, a little cozy – combined with everything that’s great about a sweet morning roll.  I’ve made this recipe three times in three weeks and think I need to make them again.  Nothing cries out for apple cider rolls more than my PJs and a parade.

If you plan ahead and have the filling already made or at least the cider reduced, as that part takes some time; you can make the dough, let it rise then fill and shape and store them in the refrigerator overnight.  Thanksgiving morning, let them come to room temperature while the oven preheats then bake and glaze in under an hour.  Nothing better.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR:  POPPIN’ FRESH.  I have a deep deep love for morning pastries and will find any excuse to make them.  Fill a warm, buttery dough with sticky apple cider and chunky apples and I’m over the moon.  But slick that with a thick schmear of apple cider glaze?  C’mon now.  How can you – or your family – not want this right now?  Even those Rockettes freezing their butts off want these.

On this blog four years ago:  Pumpkin Bundt Cake
On this blog three years ago:  French Apple Tart
On this blog two years ago:  Cheese Straws
On this blog one year ago: Raw Kale and Roasted Squash Salad
other breakfast pastry recipes from the blog:  Sweet Orange Rolls, Chocolate Cherry Breakfast Rolls, Sour Cream Coffeecake, Classic Streusel Coffee Cake, Hot Cross Buns, Sticky Bun Bread, Plum Kuchen, Swedish Cardamom Buns

APPLE CIDER SWEET ROLLS
Makes 1 dozen sweet rolls
You need to plan ahead a little bit as the cider takes a while to reduce and makes all the difference.  It’s awfully nice to have extra compote or even reduced cider on hand for those “emergencies” when you need a quick dessert, breakfast or even a great mix-in for a holiday themed cocktail.  And who won’t need a cocktail in the next 5 weeks?  Am I right?!

for the filling:
2 cups unfiltered apple cider

3 Tablespoons butter
3 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and diced into ¼” pieces
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup reduced apple cider
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1-2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (for greasing the pan)
1 egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (½ stick)

for the dough:
1 package active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
¼ cup warm water (105º – 115º F)
1 ½ cups whole milk
3 Tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 ½ unbleached all-purpose flour
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick/4 ounces)

for the icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
4-5 Tablespoons reduced apple cider
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1. For the filling:  Place the 2 cups of cider in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and reduce to a little more than half, to ¾ cup, on medium heat or a nice gentle boil.  Be careful – too small of a pot and the cider will boil over creating a big mess.  Depending on the heat and size of the pot, this might take anywhere from 30-45 minutes.  Set aside until needed.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
3.  Add the apples, maple syrup and salt and sauté until some liquid releases and the apples are just barely tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the ¾ cup reduced apple cider and the cinnamon; simmer until tender but the apples still hold their shape, about 15 minutes.
5. Remove the apples with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl.
6. Turn the heat up to high and reduce the liquid until it’s thick and syrupy, just a few minutes.  Pour over the apples and let cool completely.
7. for the dough:  In the bowl of a standing mixer, sprinkle yeast over the warm water, stirring until dissolved.  Let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
8. In a medium saucepan (or in the microwave) heat the milk until just warm to the touch (105º – 115º F).  Not too hot – if it’s too hot for your finger, it’s too hot for the yeast and will kill it.
9. Fit the mixer with the dough hook and to the yeast add the warm milk, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and flour.  Mix on medium until blended then increase the speed to high and knead until dough comes together and a ball forms pulling away from the sides of the bowl.  Continue mixing until a smooth dough is formed.
10. On medium speed, add the butter 1 Tablespoon at a time until smooth and incorporated.  The dough might break up, look clumpy or greasy – give it a little time and it will smooth out.  Mix until the butter has been worked completely into the dough, scraping as needed.  The dough should be soft and silky.  If not, knead for a few more minutes on high.
11. Turn dough out to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 1-2 minutes to make sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
12. First rise:  Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 – 1 ½ hours in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
13. For the filling:  Combine the sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
14. Assemble:  Grease the sides and bottoms a 9”x13” cake pan with the softened butter and set aside.
15. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and gently roll into a 10” x 18” rectangle.
16. Brush the entire dough rectangle with the beaten egg.
17. Sprinkle the surface evenly with the sugar leaving a ½” border clean along the far, long side.
18. Spread the cooled apple filling evenly on the dough, leaving that ½” border clean and dot with bits of the 4 Tablespoons of butter.
19. Roll up the rectangle starting with the long side closest to you (the clean edge will make sealing easier); lightly pinch the edge to seal.  Rotate the dough so it is seam side down.
20. With a serrated knife, cut the dough into twelve equal pieces (about 1 ½”-2” each) and place cut side up into prepared pan.  Try to arrange so the sealed end is facing inside the pan.  (At this point, you can cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.  Let come to room temperature before baking.)
21. Second rise: Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise 30-60 minutes in a warm place until doubled.
22. While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 375ºF.
23. Bake:  Bake the rolls on the bottom rack of the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
24. Cool on a wire rack until completely cooled, at least 30 minutes.  If you ice the rolls while warm, the icing with melt into the dough’s and be quite thin.  If you prefer a thicker coat of icing, let the rolls cool first.
25. For the icing:  In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, reduced apple cider, cinnamon and salt until smooth.
26. Smear about 1 Tablespoon of icing on each roll with a spoon. The rolls are best served shortly after baking but will keep pretty well for a day or two if tightly wrapped.

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