Sweet Fuji Apple Rolls with Syrup

Inspired by Lora Lee Young in the cookbook Kissin’ Wears Out, Cookin’ Don’t, by the Butler 19^th Ward Relief Society, 1978.

Makes 14-16 rolls

Ingredients:

3 large, crisp Fuji apples, diced
2 C all-purpose flour
1 t kosher salt
3 heaping t baking powder
3 T sugar + 1 t
½ C unsalted butter + 4 T
½ t cardamom powder
½ t ginger powder
1 ½ t cinnamon, divided
1+ C of heavy cream
Flour for dusting

Glaze:

1 C sugar
½ C water
2 T brown sugar
½ t vanilla
¼ T kosher salt
1 C powdered sugar

Direction:

• Make the glaze first by heating the water, white and brown sugars, vanilla and salt until bubbling. Lower heat and keep to a low boil for about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool a bit.
• Cut the three apples into small chunks and place in a bowl with the 1 t sugar and ½ t cinnamon, stirring to combine.
• In another large mixing bowl combine the flour, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, sugar, and baking powder. Cut the very cold butter into small cubes and cut it into the flour mixture using your hands, rubbing the butter between your fingers as you work until about butter chunks are almond sized. Having some pieces that are bigger than that is fine, too. It will make a better dough! Then add the cream and begin to stir with a large spoon. If you see it’s going to be dry, go ahead and add 1 – 2 more T of cream. Work it gently, folding the cream in so you don’t overwork the dough. When combined and still a bit sticky, form into a ball and drop onto a floured surface. Pull it
• Together so it sticks together, forming a disc and using a rolling pan, flatten to about an 11” by 16” square or until about 1/8 inch thickness. Trim off the edges so you have a fairly square piece of dough. Using a spatula, slather the 2 T butter on the dough surface all the way to the edges. Then cover with the apples, pushing them out to the edges. Roll up the dough and apples jelly roll style, sealing the ends with a bit of cream or water. Slice into about 16 even pieces. #15 and #16 for me were pretty sad and wimpy so you can leave those off and discard dough if you want them all perfect.
• In a large glass baking dish, butter the bottom and sides with butter. Now add half the glaze to the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange all the rolls over the syrup and add a few more tablespoons of the glaze until you can see there is liquid syrup around all of them about ¼ to ½ inches deep. Dust with a bit more cinnamon. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Remove, place on a cooling rack and let sit for about 10 minutes. Serve warm.
• To serve, place a roll on a dish, and top with the remaining syrup that you’ve added the powdered sugar to, so it’s a runny frosting. (You decide what consistency you want, whether thicker like an icing or runny.)