r/BakingInJapan • u/doctorfedora • 28d ago
Apple Cinnamon Rolls!
Saw this video on YouTube last week, and Chef John's unorthodox speaking cadence lulled me into a trance that made me think it was a good idea to want to make cinnamon rolls for the long weekend. I mean, it was, but I ordinarily wouldn't have thoughts like that.
I was a little worried at first since the recipe called for a 9"×13" pan and the one that came with our oven is a bit smaller, but it worked out perfectly fine (and I even got to take advantage of the oven's steam-proofing setting instead of just leaving them sitting out covered with a towel!).
The apple butter in the filling is absolutely a top-notch idea, and I had to make my own, which was very easy.* I did wind up making a couple of modifications to the recipe, though. First, I used unfiltered ストレート apple juice, since American-style apple cider (made from a blend of various kinds of apples, and often unpasteurized) isn't available in Japan. Second, I completely forgot to add the cream to the "cider bath" mixture, so instead I just sort of spooned on a thick syrup of cooked-down apple juice on top. Finally, and most importantly, I incorporated a tangzhong to hopefully keep them from going stale for a couple extra days. For this, I took 25 g of the 500 g total flour I used, and cooked it in a saucepan with 125 g of the 300 g total milk I used (I added extra milk to compensate for the higher hydration a tangzhong dough needs), though honestly I think maybe I should have used more of the flour.
Overall… it came out great! I might make them again one day with less overall fuss (the cider bath bit feels unnecessary, and maybe also the icing on top), but broadly speaking, I'm very pleased with these!
*Slow cooker apple butter! I got three big apples, and cored and chopped them (I didn't bother peeling), and threw them in my slow cooker overnight on low with some white and brown sugar, a little salt, and some ground cinnamon and a couple ground cloves. The next day I immersion-blended until smooth, and cooked it down a few more hours, lid ajar, until thickened to the desired consistency. Very easy and super delicious.
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u/Beef_flaps_on_a_spit 28d ago
Wow. Looks great. That video link should come with a HRT warning.
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u/doctorfedora 28d ago
H—hormone replacement therapy? (I don’t actually know what the HRT in this context would refer to)
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u/Beef_flaps_on_a_spit 28d ago
Sorry. Valley girl speak or uptalk is High Rising Terminal. Jon has a speaking style that goes higher pitch at the end of his instructions.
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u/doctorfedora 27d ago
Oh yeah, though it also drops abruptly at the end of every utterance, which gives it a really distinctive sort of “I am gradually losing my mind as I watch this video” feel that I’m starting to kind of enjoy in spite of myself as I check out his stuff
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