by Sara Matteoli
A BIT OF SCANDINAVIAN TASTE
Winter is just around the corner… the days are growing shorter and colder, the sun is less and less present… and of course the mood is affected as well as the energy that seems disappearing and just a distant memory. I know something about winter living up here in Copenhagen and having spent three winters in the cold North. So what a better way to enjoy some sweet cuddle? I love the simple genuine, home-made sweets and I go crazy about cinnamon that I would put anywhere (one of the things of the Scandinavian people that I appreciate). But above all I love mixing, creating, baking, the smell of fresh yeast and especially the smell of freshly baked bread and cakes… it is something intoxicating that makes you forget everything that went wrong during the day. You sit in company of a cup of tea and a good friend and you get lost in the sweetness of your freshly baked creation. Tell me the truth; I have already made your mouth-watering!
I thank one of my students, Maja, with whom I have shared in recent months, the passion of baking. She gave me this delicious recipe that will fill both your palate and the nose with the taste and odor of Scandinavia which you cannot do without. Do not be fooled by the length of the recipe…the result will surprise you! Have fun, and enjoy the results!
KANELSNEGLE or Cinnamon Rolls (about 30 pieces)
Dough:
50 g yeast- 50 ml water
- 150 ml milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 75 g butter
- approx. 500 g flour
Stuffing:
- 150 g soft butter
- 85 g sugar
- 2 tablespoon cinnamon
Frosting:
- 300g icing sugar
- 3 teaspoon hot water
PREPARATION
Stir the yeast in the lukewarm water. Stir milk, eggs, sugar and salt in as well. Crumble the butter in the flour in another bowl. Pour the mixture of flour and butter into the yeast mixture and mix it together until the dough is smooth and shiny. Let the dough grow in a lukewarm place for 30 min. Make the stuffing while the dough is growing, stirring the soft butter together with sugar and cinnamon.
Split the dough in two parts and roll each part into a long plate (25 x 40 cm). Spread the stuffing onto the dough so every part of the dough-plate is covered. Roll the plate to roulade and cut the snails in 2 cm pieces. Put the snails onto a baking tray with baking paper and let them stand for 15 min. Bake the snails in 200 degrees for 15 min or until there finished… and let them cool. Put frosting on them if you like with a spoon or with a sac-a poche. For the frosting mix well just the icing sugar with hot water. If frosting is too thick add a drop more water if too runny add the powdered sugar.
Maja teaches: when you put the snails on the tray, take the dough-end and attach it underneath the snail so it won’t open while being in the oven.
