Apple Cinnamon Rolls:

Equipment: Squared pan sized 15cm (l) x15cm (w) x7.5cm (h)- Lined with parchment paper.

Recipe: 4 Large individual rolls

Brioche Dough (about 480g):

Cinnamon Filling:

Macerated Apples:

Preparation instructions:

For the Brioche Dough:

Important note: brioche dough is very sticky and hard to work with as soon as it is done kneading. Therefore, it requires a long fermentation, preferably in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to overnight (most recommended). Please take this into consideration when making your baking plans.

1. Into a standing mixer bowl fitted with the dough hook attachment, add all of the dough’s ingredients, except for the butter cubes. Mix on low speed for a few minutes until a lump of dough is formed.
2. Add the butter gradually, a few cubes at a time, waiting until the first cubes are incorporated before adding the next ones. After all the butter is added, continue kneading for 10 minutes on low-medium speed, until the dough pulls away cleanly from the bowl.
3. With oiled hands shape the dough into a rough square, cover it with plastic wrap and ferment overnight in the fridge.

For the macerated apples:

1. Place a large colander on top of a bowl and add the sliced apples, along with the rest of the ingredients: sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and lemon juice.
2. Toss all the ingredients together with your hands and set to the side, covered in plastic wrap, for 30 minutes to 3 hours. The apples will be exuding their juices into the bowl- the longer they macerate, the better.
3. After the apples have been sitting long enough, drain the apples from any remaining excess liquids and transfer them to a separate bowl. Do not throw away the maceration liquids that have accumulated inside the bow.
4. Transfer those liquids into a small saucepan and cook them over low heat with a little bit of butter (about 2 tsps), until it is fully melted and the liquids are bubbling and slightly reduce. This caramel sauce will thicken as it cools down, and will be used to glaze the pastry after baking.

Cinnamon Filling:

1. In a bowl, melt the white chocolate and the butter together in the microwave, and mix to a smooth ganache.
2. Add in the rest of the ingredients: sugar, cinnamon, almond meal, pudding mix and hot water. Mix them together to a smooth and uniform paste, without any lumps. You may use a food processor for the most perfect results.
3. Keep the filling covered with plastic wrap and set to the side at room temperature, until assembly.

Assembly and baking:

1. On top of a lightly floured counter, roll the dough to a rectangle sized 38cm (l) x 25cm (w), with the wider side facing you.
2. Trim the edges to a rectangle sized 36cm (l) x 24cm (w), and evenly spread the entire amount of cinnamon filling over the dough, keeping about 1.5cm from the edge of the dough, unfilled.
3. Mark 6cm strips along the length of the dough, and place the sliced apples overlapping each other, lengthwise, at the top part of each strip (see video demonstration).
4. Using a pizza cutter, cut the strips and roll them from the bottom towards the top.
5. Arrange the rolls inside the prepared cake pan. Cover and proof for 30 minutes at room temperature.
6. Bake in a pre-heated oven set to 180C (fan mode off), with a baking rack placed in the lowest shelf inside the oven, for 25 minutes.
7. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the pastries as soon as they are out of the oven (if the sauce had thickened substantially during this time, you can reheat it in the microwave, or over a low flame for a few seconds only, in order to restore its liquid consistency).