Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Make the Tangzhong:
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, constantly whisk milk and flour together until you have a thick roux like mashed potatoes.
Set aside to cool.
30 g Bread Flour, 150 grams Whole Milk
Mix the Dough:
Add all of the dough ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
Mix on low speed for a few minutes until the flour is incorporated. Slice the softened butter into pieces, turn the speed to medium, and slowly add one piece of butter at a time until each piece is fully incorporated into the dough.
Continue to mix the dough for 10-15 more minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test, is smooth, tacky, and easily slides off of the dough hook.
Tangzhong (see above), 120 g Whole Milk, 2 Eggs, 120 g Sourdough Starter, 500 g Bread Flour, 50 g Granulated Sugar, 10 g Kosher Salt, 113 g Unsalted Butter
Bulk Fermentation:
Transfer the dough to a medium bowl, cover, and place it in a warm location for bulk fermentation. At 78ºF, bulk fermentation takes about 5-6 hours (longer if cooler).
Bulk fermentation is complete when the dough is doubled, domed in the bowl, and smooth.
Make the Apple Filling:
While the dough proofs, make the filling.
Chop apples to small pieces and add to a small saucepan with the rest of the apple pie filling ingredients. Cook, while stirring, on medium heat for about 10 minutes until thickened and the apples are tender with a little bite.
300 g Apples, 2 tsp Lemon Juice, 50 g Dark Brown Sugar, 2 tsp Cornstarch, 1 tsp Cinnamon, 2 TBS Water

The apple pie filling can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.

Overnight Proof:
Cover the bowl of dough and place it into a refrigerator to proof overnight and up to 48 hours.
Make the Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
The next day, butter or grease your baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
In a bowl, mix together the softened butter, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour until you have a filling like wet sand. Set aside.
100 grams Dark Brown Sugar, 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1 TBS Bread Flour, 56 grams Unsalted Butter
Roll Out and Shape the Cinnamon Rolls:
Turn out the cold dough onto a clean surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a rectangular slab about 12x18".
Spread the cinnamon sugar filling over the surface of the dough, leaving a ½ inch border on the sides followed by the cooked apple pie filling.
Use a pastry wheel or knife to cut 12 1 ½" thick slices from the long side. Then, roll up the cinnamon rolls.

You can shape these like typical cinnamon rolls into a log and slice them, but I find the heavy apple filling can spill out and this method is cleaner and easier.

Final Proof:
Arrange the slices onto the baking pan in a 4x3 grid, tent with foil, and place in a warm location for the final proof.
At 78ºF, the final proof takes about 3.5-4 hours. The rolls are finished proofing when they've almost doubled in size, touch each other, and poofy. If you poke the rolls with a floured finger, they should leave a slight indentation and feel full of air.
Bake:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
Bake the rolls for 30 minutes until the filling just starts to bubble and tops haven't browned. If using an instant-read thermometer, the dough temp should be between 190-200ºF.
Cool on a wire rack.
Make the Vanilla Bean Icing:
Combine all of the icing ingredients together in a mixing bowl and spoon on top of the cinnamon rolls. If the mixture seems too thick, add a bit more milk or more powdered sugar if it seems too dry.
170 g Powdered Sugar, 1 pinch Kosher Salt, 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste, 1-2 TBS Whole Milk

Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Equipment

Ingredients

Tangzhong

Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Roll Dough

Apple Filling

Cinnamon Roll Filling

Vanilla Bean Icing

Instructions

Notes