Rosenkuchen
Normally, my mother-in-law has a well stocked assortment of sweet treats to offer visitors who drop by unannounced in the afternoon. Sometimes it’s a homemade cake, or a box of cookies, but every so often an occasion demands the quick procurement of something to serve with coffee, and she sends my father-in-law to the local bakery.
My husband Sam and I will look at each other and mouth, “Rosenkuchen.”
Not dissimilar to cinnamon buns, Rosenkuchen is a yeasted dough, rolled out thin, filled with nuts and raisins, rolled up and cut into buns then baked together in a cake pan.
From the bakery, it’s a tolerable snack on the day its baked (though often a bit dry) and on subsequent days it becomes so dry it needs to be dipped in tea or coffee. This homemade version is better—not so dry, a very buttery dough, more raisins (that’s for you Sam), and a healthy application of icing. It keeps well for a couple of days, and makes a lovely accompaniment to tea or even a decadent breakfast.
I use a Zopf dough with a bit of sugar added, plus some orange zest and cinnamon. Ground almonds or hazelnuts work in the filing, and you can always add some extra raisins if you like (or leave them out if you’re not a fan).
I like a healthy drizzle of icing on top, though this isn’t completely neccessary.
500 g flour
12 g salt
1 tsp cinnamon
250 ml milk, room temperature
20 g yeast
2 tbsp sugar
the zest of one orange
100 g butter, room temperature
Filling
100 g butter
50 g sugar
100 g ground almonds
150 g raisins
2 tbsp orange juice
pinch salt
Icing
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
75 g icing sugar
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cinnamon.
In another bowl, whisk together the milk and yeast. In a small bowl, rub the orange zest into the sugar.
Make a well in the flour and add the liquid ingredients and zested sugar. Stir this together until a dough starts to form, then add the butter and begin to knead it on the table. Knead until it is smooth and elastic. Alternatively, mix for about 8 minutes in a stand mixer with a dough hook. Cover and let rise for about an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
In the meantime, make the filling.
Filling
Beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the ground almonds, raisins, orange juice and salt.
Assembly
Preheat oven to 200 C / 400° F / gas mark 6 bottom heat.
Line the bottom of a 24 cm (9 inch) springform cake pan with parchment paper.
Once the dough has risen, roll it out into a large rectangle. Spread the filling over the dough, leaving a rim along one edge. Roll up the dough (the long way), pressing to seal, then cut into 12 rolls and arrange, swirl side-up, in the prepared pan.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes in the bottom half of the oven, or until the tops and bottoms are golden.
Icing
Whisk together the orange juice, vanilla and icing sugar. Drizzle over the still warm (but not hot) buns.
I like to soak my raisins in the orange juice before adding them to the filling.
For an added hit of flavour, toast your almonds before adding them to the filling.
Another swirl?
Magentraes Roll
