12 Days of Prunemas: Prune Cinnamon Rolls

Day 3 of Prune Christmas - ultra fluffy wholegrain Prune Cinnamon Rolls!

This is a post for all subscribers sponsored by CAPrunes. It is the third of 12 posts over 12 days, celebrating ways to enjoy delicious prunes.

Back with more tidings of Christmastide of yore! Like fun fact, the 12 days of Christmas officially began being celebrated way back in year 567. And the third day was always a rager. Have you heard of wassailing? The third day of Christmas was often reserved for drinking large amounts of wine or other booze to commemorate how St. John drank poisoned wine and survived. Wow, John! In Tudor England, this tradition was layered on top of pagan celebrations of winter to became the cultural phenomenon of wassailing, or “wishing well”. Here’s a fun podcast on other Tudor Christmastide fun.

Historical Images of Wassailing

Proper wassailing involved a large bowl of hot cider or mulled wine placed in the center of a table and starting with the oldest person, everyone had to take turns making toasts. Everyone drinks for every toast, until the bowl is empty and everyone is smashed. Usually the crowd would end up carrying torches, singing merrily and dancing into their local orchard. The late night would become morning as revelers toasted all the trees (pagan roots!) and hung booze soaked bread from the bare branches to encourage another great harvest the following year.

I’m with the pagans on bread being a star of the day! And we all know that the best preparation for such a festive day is to lay down a nice base layer of carbs - and prunes. And what Christmastide season would be complete without cinnamon rolls? Cinnamon comes to us from Asia, but in many ways is a distinctively beloved American spice. Throughout various asian cultures this spice is a workhorse in the savory kitchen. And sure you’ll see it in blends for winter baking in European traditions, but come to the Americas and cinnamon becomes celebrated as a solo act. A diva even. We love the spicy, sweet, earthy, fragrant and tannic elements that cinnamon imparts to sugary treats.

When I look to developing recipes I want to repeat elements to create a layering of taste in each bite, similar to putting an outfit together of different tones in the same color. If cinnamon is the inspiration, we have to make something with a hard red whole grain to add to earthiness and add nuttiness as well. (Wanna learn more about how to taste flour?) And yes PRUNES! Because they are sweet, earthy, fragrant and tannic. Honestly, I can’t believe I haven’t added prunes before. The roll becomes part sticky toffee bun and part classic cinnamon roll with (optional) booze. Want something more fruit forward? Hey! Did you make the Prune Quince Butter yet? Use that to fill the buns! Topped with (optional) decadent Cream Cheese Swiss Buttercream, it’s an irresistible start to a helluva day.

Prune Cinnamon Rolls

Makes 8 Large Rolls

Dough

150ml whole milk, room temperature

12g instant yeast

100g cane sugar

1 egg, 2 yolks

345g All Purpose Flour

75g Red Fife or other hard red whole grain flour

225g Butter

Filling

200g prunes

30g cinnamon

5g cardamon

100g Muscovado Sugar or other dark brown sugar

60g Halva Sesame Paste

30g spiced rum (optional)

Method:

In the bowl of a mixer with a dough hook - or in a wide bowl and with elbow grease at the ready - combine all your ingredients except the butter and mix for 10 minutes on medium speed. You want to develop enough stretch and strength, that when you pull off a small piece and stretch it, it becomes almost transparent before breaking.

Reduce your mixer speed to low and add in your butter continuously a couple pieces at a time. Continue mixing for 10 minutes on low until butter is incorporated and an elastic shiny dough forms. Use wet fingers to slide dough off hook and tuck edges of dough into a ball at the bottom of your bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours.

Meanwhile make filling by combining all ingredients in a small bowl, pour boiling water on just enough to barely cover it. Allow to cool and then puree with a traditional or an immersion blender.

Prepare a quarter sheet tray with a pan extender (highly recommend investing in this! makes your pans so versatile without having to collect different purpose pans!) or a classic lasagna pan, with a piece of parchment paper and light baking spray. Punch down with your fists and reform into a tight ball at the bottom of your bowl and move to your fridge to proof cold for 2 hours (or up to 12 hours). Flour the surface of a work space lightly, pull your dough from the fridge and dump dough onto surface. Roll dough into a rectangle about a quarter of an inch thick.

Delicious Prune Spice Spread

Slather with filling and roll tightly along the widest side. Cut into 8 thick rolls. Arrange in a honeycomb pattern on a quarter sheet tray with a pan extender. Allow to proof for 2 hours at room temperature lightly covered.

Right after rolling and cutting; After 2 hour rise at room temperature.

Optional: Right before placing in the oven pour 100g of cream into the bottom of your pan. This will increase the goo and sticky toffeeness of your roll.

Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes till golden brown, the centers spring back from your touch and if you love your numbers - a thermometer poked into a center roll reads over 200.

Allow to cool till only warm to the touch. Slather on Cream Cheese Swiss Buttercream, either individually or like a broad canvas.

If your centers aren’t thick with Prune Cinnamon Goo, I don’t want them!

Cream Cheese Swiss Buttercream

Makes 2-3 Cups

60g egg whites (Your two from above!)

150g cane sugar

300g butter, room temperature

125g cream cheese, room temperature

salt

Method:

In a small pot add about 2 inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In the bowl of a mixer, whisk together your egg whites and cane sugar. Place your bowl over the pot with simmering water. Continue whisking egg whites till sugar has dissolved and mixture has reached 161 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from heat and clip bowl into your mixer along with a whisk attachment. Whip on high till completely cooled and tripled in volume.

Lower speed to medium and continue whipping as you add in butter. Whip till smooth and then add in cream cheese. Continue whipping till you have a very smooth and fluffy buttercream. Sometimes I add a splash of cream to help smooth it out near the end. Add salt to season and bring out the best flavor.

Note: I cannot encourage you enough to scale up this buttercream recipe! It comes together a lot easier and smoother in a larger quantity, in the same amount of time. It keeps in your fridge for weeks or can be frozen. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then rewhip till smooth to refresh. It’s the perfect clean foil for all your richly spiced, candied fruit and root vegetable filled baked goods this winter.

Happy third day of Christmastide! Happy third night of Hanukkah!

xoxox

P.s. Curious for more information on Hanukkah? I loved this Rabbis breakdown, especially his message for finding your inner oil and spreading your light around minute 2:50.

---

Get my book Bread and Roses 2023. People can’t stop making the Miso Barley Chocolate Chip Cookies, the Apple Onion Rye Focaccia, the Chocolate Custard Pie in an all butter Sonora Crust, the Buckwheat, Yuzu, Coconut Chiffon Showstopper Cake and so much more. It was named a Best Cookbook of 2023 by the Los Angeles Times and Bon Appetite Magazine.

Available anywhere books are sold. Or get a personalized copy from me.

---