Cinnamon “Apple” Rolls

It’s amazing how real these “apples” look! They add a brightness to a brunch bread basket.

1 package regular or quick-acting active dry yeast

1 cup warm unsweetened apple juice (105° to 115°)

3½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup shortening or ¼ cup (½ stick) margarine or butter, softened

1 egg

¾ cup red sugar

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 40 raisins (about ¼ cup)

1/3 cup margarine or butter, melted

5 sticks cinnamon

20 fresh mint leaves, frosted*

Dissolve yeast in apple juice in large bowl; let stand 1 minute. Mix in 2 cups of the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, the salt, shortening and egg; beat vigorously with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; gently roll in flour to coat. Knead about 3 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. (Dough can be refrigerated at this point 3 to 4 days.) Cover and let rise in warm place 60 to 70 minutes or until almost double. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)

Grease 12 medium muffin cups, 2½ X 1¼ inches. Mix red sugar and cinnamon. Punch down dough. Divide into 20 equal pieces; cover and refrigerate 8 pieces. Flatten each of the remaining 12 pieces into 2-inch round. Place 2 raisins in center for apple seeds. Bring sides of dough up over raisins; pinch edges to seal. Dip dough in melted margarine to coat completely; coat with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place pinched sides down in muffin cups. Insert handle end of wooden spoon about ¾ inch in top of each, and rotate handle slightly to make indentation for stem. Cover and let rise in warm place 35 minutes.

Heat oven to 375°. Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until rolls just begin to brown under coating. Immediately remove from pan to wire rack. Repeat steps with refrigerated pieces. Cool rolls 30 minutes. Break each cinnamon stick into fourths. Insert in indentations in apples for stems. Place mint leaf next to stem. 20 rolls.

* To frost mint leaves, dip leaves into water and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place on waxed paper until dry.

 

It is a quote. Betty Crocker’s New Christmas Cookbook 1993