Ambrosia & Honey Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup Water – Both boiling and lukewarm
  • 1 Tbsp. Honey
  • 1 Tbsp. Butter
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 2 tsp. Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. Yeast
  • 1 Egg, well beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups Whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 – 2 cups Unbleached white flour
  • 1/2 cup Brown sugar
  • 2 tsp. Cinnamon
  • 2 cups packed/grated Ambrosia Apples
  • 1/2 cup Raisins (optional)
  • 1/4 cup Honey

Directions
For the Dough

STEP 1

Combine the 3/4 cup boiling water, honey, butter and salt in a large bowl and cool.

STEP 2

Dissolve the 3/4 cup lukewarm water and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit.

STEP 3

1. Mix the eggs into the first (Step 1) mixture once it has cooled to room temperature.

2. Add 1 cup of the whole wheat flour to this mixture and stir well.

3. Add the yeast mixture (Step 2) to the bowl and stir to incorporate.

4. Gradually add the remaining flour, cup by cup (starting with the whole wheat flour), until the dough gets too difficult to stir in the bowl.  At this point, on a floured surface (your counter), empty the dough and knead by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic,  about 10 minutes. You will need to keep the surface floured to prevent it from sticking, and you may need slightly less or more flour than the recipe calls for as there are many variables to making bread.

5. Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover with a clean tea towel, and place in a draft-free warm area to rise.

6. Let the dough rise until doubled (about 40 minutes) and punch it down. Repeat this process once.

7. Preheat your oven to 350 F and grease a rectangle 9×13″ baking pan. On a lightly floured surface (I use all-purpose flour for this), roll out your dough to form a rectangle, approximately 1×2′.  Again, it doesn’t have to be exact!

For the Filling

1. Spread the butter evenly on the dough, leaving a small 1/2″ edge, and sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon to evenly coat the dough.

2. Top with an even layer of the shredded Ambrosia apple, sprinkle with the raisins if using, and drizzle with honey.

Combine

1. Roll the dough into a long log from the longest edge of your rectangle until it is completely and tightly rolled.

2. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 12 even slices or rounds. Place the rounds evenly in the pan, cover with a clean towel, and allow them to rise in a slightly warm and draft-free area until they are doubled in size.

3. Once doubled, bake for 15-20 minutes or until nicely browned. Immediately turn the pan over onto a sheet of parchment paper on the counter once you remove them from the oven.

4. These are best served fresh out of the oven, enjoy!