Apple Crumble Cinnamon Rolls

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and let it cook just a bit until it becomes slightly browned and foamy. Add the apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, and sugars. Stir everything together and let cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes until the apples are just slightly softened. Set them aside to cool while you work on everything else.

In a small bowl or measuring cup whisk together your milk and yeast. Set it aside to bloom while you get everything else ready. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the shortening and granulated sugar. Switch to the paddle attachment and add the milk yeast mixture, the salt, and half of the flour. Mix together on medium for one minute, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the rest of the flour and the vanilla bean paste. Mix on medium for another minute, just until a dough has formed, then switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat on medium speed for 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should not be sticky to the touch. Pull the dough a little bit: if it retracts like a rubber band continue mixing for another 2-3 minutes. You want the dough to be pliable and not fight against manipulation.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and cover it with a damp towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place, for about two hours or until it has doubled in size.

In a medium bowl mix together the butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and flour. Mix together until a smooth, thick paste forms. Set the filling aside while you wait for the dough to rise.

Next, slice the unsalted butter into thin pats. Place the pats of butter in the fridge or freezer while you wait for the dough to rise.

Flour your work surface lightly, then punch down your risen dough and transfer it to the floured surface. Roll out dough to about a 1/2″ thickness – somewhere around one foot wide and two feet long. Arrange the pats of unsalted butter over half of the dough, then fold the other half over the top of the butter to cover it. Press down around the edges to seal them. Now, fold the dough two more times, into a square or rectangle. Flour your rolling pin again and roll the dough back out to under an inch of thickness. Fold the dough in half lengthwise, then fold that length in half. Roll the dough out again. Repeat this process once more, for a total of four folds. Your final dough should be about 1/2″ thick.

Preheat your oven to 375°F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Oil a large rimmed baking sheet with baking spray and set it aside. Beat the egg with one teaspoon of cold water until foamy and set it aside. Spread the rolled-out dough with the prepared filling, stopping about 1/2″ from one long end. Go all the way to the edges of all other ends.

Pour your fried apples into a colander or sieve over a mixing bowl to separate the apples from the juices. The juice is great in place of pancake syrup, or you can discard it. Spread the drained apples evenly across all of the spread-out filling, then apply the egg wash to the bare edge of the dough, and get ready to roll.

Starting with the long end with filling all the way to the edge, begin rolling up the dough. Tuck and roll, keeping the roll tight as you go. Once you’ve rolled the dough into a log, use a serrated knife to slice the log into 1/2″ rounds. Arrange the rolls on the baking sheet, letting them touch just slightly. Cover with a towel and allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes – they won’t get much larger, but they should be noticeably puffy.

After the rolls have risen, sprinkle the crumble topping all over the tops of the rolls. Do a light coating at first and build on it to ensure even coverage across all of the rolls.

Place the rolls in the preheated 375°F oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes cover the rolls loosely with foil and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes (they should be 190°F in the center).

While the rolls are baking, in a mixing bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla bean paste. Whisk until everything is nice and smooth. If you’re having a problem with lumps you can microwave the bowl for a bit, or place it over a double boiler to heat it up a little bit, that should allow you to work out any lumps.

Let the rolls cool for about 15 minutes, then glaze them, drizzling the glaze from a height with a spoon, or use a squeeze bottle or piping bag.  Dassit. Enjoy!