Comfort Me with Offal

For people of Eastern European descent, “cinnamon roll” often connotes old-fashioned rugelach, the kind made with sour cream yeast dough that rolls out very thinly. Rugelach means “little twists” in Yiddish. The most famous American yeast dough rugelach come from Green Ackerman Bakery in Brooklyn, New York, and are inspired by the recipe of Chana Green, who came from a shtetl in Hungary. These tiny, toothsome, spicy little beauties keep well for a week or so and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bags of these make great hostess or holiday gifts.

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe Thin Strudel Dough, used right after mixing

RUGELACH FILLING:

1/4 cup finely ground English walnuts

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

EGG WASH:

1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water

1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and cut into fourths. Roll each fourth out to a circle 12-inches in diameter.

3. For the filling, combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Sprinkle each dough circle with one-quarter of the filling. Roll the filling into the dough. With a serrated knife or pizza wheel, cut each circle into 16 triangles. Starting at the wide end, roll each triangle up into a tight crescent and place on a prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Cover with tea towels and let rest in a warm place for 45 minutes (they don’t rise much). Reserve any filling that has collected after rolling.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush each pastry with egg wash, then sprinkle on any remaining filling. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

The aroma of these buttery, apple-scented rolls is as close to paradise as I can get sometimes. Like a classic Tarte Tatin, the upside-down French apple confection with a puff pastry crust, this bakes best in a cast-iron skillet.

CRÈME FRAÎCHE:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup sour cream

TARTE TATIN PAN SAUCE:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4 large tart apples such as Granny Smith or Jonathan, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

Salt

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe Thin Strudel Dough, used right after mixing

CINNAMON FILLING:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1. For the Crème Fraîche, whisk together the ingredients in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour and up to 24 hours.

2. For the pan sauce, heat the butter in a 10-inch (measured across the top) cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the sugar and apples and cook, stirring frequently, until the apples begin to brown and the sauce has thickened, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in salt.

3. Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Roll the dough out to a 12 by 18-inch rectangle.

4. For the filling, spread the butter over the dough. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl, then sprinkle over the dough. Pat the filling into the dough. Roll up the dough, starting with a long end, and form into a tight 18-inch cylinder. Cut the dough into 12 slices. Arrange the slices, spiral side up, on top of the apple pan sauce in the skillet.

5. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until the rolls have risen and browned and the pan sauce is bubbling. Let cool for 1 minute, then carefully invert, wearing oven mitts, onto a serving platter. Serve each roll topped with pan sauce and a dollop of Crème Fraîche.

First there’s the elusive flavor of rose, then the spiciness of cinnamon, and at the end, a faint heat from the pepper. In Tunisia and Morocco, a dried combination of rose, cinnamon, and black pepper is known as baharat. I’ve substituted a combination of fresh rose petals in the filling and rose water in the glaze. Snip off the white, bitter “heel” at the base of each petal before using. Enjoy these small crescents with a glass of Moroccan mint tea.

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe Thin Strudel Dough, used right after mixing

MOROCCAN CINNAMON ROSE PETAL FILLING:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

1 cup packed edible rose petals, white “heel” snipped off

ROSE GLAZE:

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons whole milk

1 teaspoon rose water

Tiny drop of pink food coloring, optional

1. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Cut the dough into fourths. Roll out each fourth on a floured surface to a circle with a 12-inch diameter.

3. For the filling, combine the sugar, cinnamon, and black pepper in a bowl. Sprinkle each dough circle with one-quarter of the cinnamon sugar and scatter with one-quarter of the rose petals. Pat the filling into the dough. Cut each circle into 16 triangles. Starting at a wide end, roll up each triangle into a tight crescent. Place on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Cover with tea towels and let rest in a warm place for 45 minutes (they don’t rise much).

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

5. For the glaze, whisk all the ingredients and food coloring, if using, together in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls.

Povitica, meaning “swaddled” because of its many thin layers, is a popular festive Croatian bread. In this version, instead of rolling the filling into the dough, then forming it into a U-shape to bake in a loaf pan, you make bite-sized pastries. These keep for several weeks, so make a batch before a holiday, a vacation, or a family gathering. Remember to reserve 1 cup of the filling to also use as a topping.

CINNAMON-WALNUT FILLING:

3 cups shelled English walnut pieces

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe Thin Strudel Dough, used right after mixing

EGG WHITE WASH:

1 large egg white beaten with 1 teaspoon water

1. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. For the filling, place the walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in a food processor or blender and pulse until the walnuts are very finely chopped. Reserve 1 cup of filling for a topping.

3. Cut the dough into fourths. Roll each fourth out on a floured surface to a circle with a 12-inch diameter. Sprinkle each circle with one-quarter of the filling. Pat the filling into the dough. Cut each circle into 16 triangles. Starting at the wide end, roll each triangle up into a tight crescent and place on a prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Cover with tea towels and let rest in a warm place for 20 minutes (they don’t really rise). Reserve any filling that has collected after rolling.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush each pastry with egg white wash, then sprinkle with the remaining filling.

5. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

A “crown” is baker’s terminology for a miniature coffeecake in the shape of a cupcake; the sweet dough forms a crown around the filling. The luscious blueberry filling and cinnamon streusel, with a final drizzle of Banana Glaze, make for a delicious way to rise and shine. Make these in batches if necessary; keep half of the dough covered in the refrigerator, then let come to room temperature to form into crowns.

PAN SAUCE:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

BLUEBERRY FILLING:

3 cups fresh blueberries

1 cup blueberry preserves

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

CINNAMON STREUSEL:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/8 teaspoon salt

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe Thin Strudel Dough, used right after mixing

BANANA GLAZE:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

I large ripe banana, peeled and mashed

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. For the pan sauce, brush the inside of six 6-cup muffin tins with the melted butter. For the filling, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the blueberries have softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.

2. For the Cinnamon Streusel, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Work in the butter with a fork or your fingers until the mixture forms crumbs. Set aside.

3. Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Cut the dough into fourths. Roll each fourth into a 9-inch square. Cut the dough into 3-inch squares. Fit each square into a prepared muffin cup. Place 2 teaspoons Blueberry Filling and 2 teaspoons Cinnamon Streusel in each dough-lined muffin cup. Cover with tea towels and let rest in a warm place for 20 minutes (they don’t rise much).

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the crust has lightly browned and the filling is firm.

5. For the glaze, whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled rolls.

These little rolls always call to me when I’m at Whole Foods Market, so I figured out a way to make them. Tiny, slightly crispy, fully cinnamon flavored, and without glaze or frosting, they’re the little black dress of cinnamon rolls. I like to dunk them in a skinny latte. Bake these in batches, then freeze rolls you don’t eat right away for up to 3 months, so you always a have a treat on hand.

PAN SAUCE:

Cooking spray

CINNAMON-MOLASSES FILLING:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg white

1 tablespoon molasses

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe Thin Strudel Dough, used right after mixing

1. For the pan sauce, spray the inside of four 12-cup mini muffin pans. For the filling, combine the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Work in the egg white, molasses, and butter with a fork until the mixture forms moist crumbs. Set aside.

2. Cut the dough into fourths. Roll each fourth out on a floured surface to a 12-inch square. Gently spread each square with one-quarter of the topping. Roll up the dough and form into a tight cylinder. Cut the cylinder into 12 slices. Place each slice, spiral side up, in a prepared mini muffin cup. Let rise uncovered while the oven preheats.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until lightly browned on top.