Patrick cooks

Crumble Topped Cinnamon and Apple Swirls with Salted Caramel Sauce

Preparation time:

3 hours

Cooking time:

20 minutes

Serves:

This is definitely one for the sweet tooth. Rich soft dough bursting with the flavours of cinnamon, maple, and apple. Nothing can compare to the smell from the oven as these wonderful, sweet treats bake, what a way to wake up in the morning. And the great thing about this recipe is that all the work can be done the night before. Make the dough, roll it, shape it, and simply leave it a fridge covered until ready to bake in the morning.

Ingredients
For the dough:
- 450g strong white flour
- 5g salt
- 50g sugar
- 265g milk (room temperature)
- 10g yeast
- 1 egg
- 100g softened butter
For the cinnamon paste:
- 200g brown sugar
- 150g softened butter
- 15g ground cinnamon
- 50g maple syrup
For the caramelized apple:
- 2 granny smith apples – peeled and diced.
- 1 heaped tablespoon of brown sugar
- 15g of butter
For the salted caramel sauce:
- 100ml whipping cream.
- Pinch of sea salt
- 40 ml water
- 90g caster sugar
- 40g unsalted butter
For the crumble topping:
- 150g white flour
- 100g butter diced
- 50g caster sugar
Method
For the dough:
- Mix together the flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
- If the milk has come from the fridge warm your milk gently to take off the chill. Crumble the yeast into the milk so that it dissolves and pour the yeasted milk into the flour. Add the egg. Bring the dough together with your hands or with a spatula. This is quite a soft, supple dough. If it feels a little wet and stinky do not panic, just stay with it and be persistent. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead for 10 minutes until the windowpane effect has been achieved If you have a food mixer feel free to use it using the dough hook attachment.
- Once the dough has come together, drop in the butter, and knead for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until all the butter is fully incorporated into the dough.
- Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to prove at room temperature for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
For the cinnamon paste:
- While the dough is proving you can make the cinnamon paste. In a food mixer using the paddle attachment add the butter along with the cinnamon, maple syrup and brown sugar. Mix until pale and fluffy. Ideally, the butter should be at room temperature. Set aside until required.
- As the dough continues to prove prepare the apples.
For the caramelized apple:
- For the granny smith apples melt the butter with the brown sugar in a pan. Add the diced apples and coat in the brown sugar and butter. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to soften slightly. The apples should have a slight bite to them. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Once the dough has undergone its 1st prove:
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knockback the dough. With a rolling pin roll the dough out till rectangle in shape and about 1 cm thickness.
- Cover the surface of the dough generously with the cinnamon paste. Spread the mix out with a spatula. Sprinkle the caramelised apple over the cinnamon paste. With the dough outstretched in front of you, take the side furthest away from you and roll towards you.
- Using a knife cut the dough into 12 portions, a little over an inch thick. Place onto a baking tray lined with parchment. If you intend to bake on the day, simply cover with a damp cloth. Allow the dough to prove for 60 to 90 minutes before baking.
- Alternatively, once the swirls have been portioned and placed on a baking tray. Cover over, leave to prove for 40 minutes at room temperature before putting into the fridge overnight Remove from the fridge 60 minutes before baking.
- As the dough proves make the salted caramel sauce and crumble topping.
For the salted caramel sauce:
- Pour the cream and salt into a saucepan and warm gently.
- Place the sugar and water into a separate saucepan on a medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved do not stir the sugar and cook to a light golden caramel colour. Off the heat pour in the warm cream and stir, careful as the mix may bubble up. Return the saucepan to the heat and continue stirring until smooth.
- Remove from the heat, cool slightly and whisk in the butter. Set aside until required.
For the crumble topping:
- In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour and sugar. Add the diced butter to the flour and blitz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Spread the crumble onto a tray lined with parchment and bake in a preheated oven at 170c for 10 to 12 minutes. Once baked set aside until required.
To bake the cinnamon and apple swirls:
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5. Before baking brush each swirl with egg wash. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- For an extra touch of indulgence finish the swirls with the salted caramel sauce and top each swirl with the baked crumble.