Natural Sourdough Finnish Cinnamon Rolls
I got to know the Finnish cinnamon rolls through the movie 'Kamome Shokudo.' The first time I tasted these rolls after I started learning baking, I made them myself. The warm and sweet flavor stayed with me from early spring to winter and will likely be a lifelong memory worth recording. All my natural sourdough recipes are designed to use up starter, so the amount of starter used is relatively high. This recipe makes just enough to fill a 30x30cm baking tray, making approximately 9 rolls. Please! Remember! To! Read! The! Tips! First!
Ingredients
Steps
Add nutmeg powder and caster sugar to the egg wash, stir with a manual whisk until thick, then pour warm milk along the edge and stir evenly again;
Add salt and natural sourdough to the bread flour, then gradually add the egg milk mixture in three portions into the dry ingredients. Knead using a bread machine (or by hand) until reaching the extended stage (about 15 minutes with a bread machine);
Add melted butter and continue kneading until almost fully developed. Check if the dough can form a tensile thin membrane. It shouldn't be too thin; at this stage, the dough should be soft, shiny, and just coming off your hands without sticking;
Shape the dough into a ball on a kneading mat, then place it into a sealed container for first fermentation until it doubles in size. At 21°C, this took about 5.5 hours for my dough; (Alternatively, you can refrigerate after this step overnight. Let it return to doubling size the next day before continuing. Fermentation in the fridge enhances the sourdough flavor.)
Take the dough out, sprinkle some flour (extra amount) on the kneading mat, deflate the dough evenly, and roll it out into a rectangular shape. Add the filling in this order: brush liquid butter, evenly sprinkle brown (or red) sugar and cinnamon powder, leaving 3cm along one long edge without filling for easier sealing;
Roll the dough from the filled edge into a cylinder, seal it tightly, then lightly dust the surface with a small amount of extra flour;
Cut the roll into 9 trapezoidal pieces as shown, using a knife or scraper. (Alternatively, you can cut rectangular pieces and arrange them vertically in the pan to resemble 'a monk's hairstyle.');
Line the baking tray with parchment paper and sprinkle with extra flour to prevent sticking. Stand the pieces upright with the narrow side up, press a fold in using chopsticks or fingers as shown, then let the second fermentation take place in the oven for about 30-45 minutes until they reach 1.5 times their size. Please don't over-ferment as the rolls will expand again during baking, risking loss of texture;
After the second proving, take the tray out and preheat the oven to 185°C. Lightly brush egg wash on the rolls' surface and sprinkle with almond flakes; (Placing them at an angle reduces sticking issues.)
Bake the rolls: 180°C on both upper and lower heating elements on the lower middle rack for about 20 minutes. Adjust time based on your oven's temperature and the desired level of browning;