BAKERY / Bageri: Cinnamon Me!

OLD FASHION CINNAMON SNAILS / Gammeldags kanelsnegle

Adapted from Alletiders Kogebog 

24 pcs full size

SPECIAL MEASURING NOTE:

tsk=demitasse spoon / spsk= large soup spoon

English	Metric	English	Danish
DOUGH / Dej
100g	100g	Butter	Smør
2c	5dl (300g)		Sødmælk
50g	50g	Yeast	Gær
10tbsp	1.5 dl.	Sugar	Sukker
1/2 tsk	1/2 tsk	Salt	Salt
2 tsk	2 tsk	Cardamom, ground	Kardemomme, stødt
800g	800g	Flour	hvedemel
Extra	Esktra	Extra flour for kneading	ekstra mel til æltning
FILLING / Fyld
	150g	Butter	Smør
12tbsp	2dl	Sugar	Sukker
	2spsk	Cinnamon Powder	Kanel, stødt
BRUSHING / Pensling (Egg Wash)
	1	Egg, beaten	Æg, sammenpisket
GLAZE / Glasur
	100g	Powdered Sugar	flormelis
	1spsk+	Water, cold	Vand, koldt

1:  Heat milk and butter in a small pot over low heat until butter has melted and the milk is warm to the touch. SPECIAL NOTE: The milk should be no warmer than the room temperature before you add the yeast. Otherwise, when yeast is added to an ingredient of non-corresponding temperature, it will clump. Otherwise, you may have to strain your yeast/milk mixture through a sieve to rid yourself of the clumps. Remove from heat and allow it to cool, if necessary to room temp. Add the yeast to the milk and stir to dissolve. Add sugar and salt stirring until sugar and salt are dissolved.

2:  Mix cardamom and flour together in a separate bowl.  Add yeast mixture to flour a little at a time until you have a workable ball of dough. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead the dough until smooth. Place in a large bowl with a cloth over it with plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm place for about 40 minutes.

beforeafter

3:  While the dough is rising, prepare the cinnamon filling. Blend room temperature butter until soft and then, gently stir in cinnamon and sugar. There should be a smooth creamy butter mixture with no visible chunks.

4: Once the dough has risen, sprinkle flour onto your work surface again and cut the dough into two pieces. Roll each ball of dough out into a large rectangle: 1cm (1/3”) thick x 20 cm (8in) in width x 45 cm (18 in) in length. 

Now split the cinnamon filling in half and divide that portion into equals portions and place at the center of the dough.  Now spread it out over the entire face of the dough making sure you cover the dough up to its edge 

 

NOW YOU HAVE TWO SIZE OPTIONS. Option One: Roll it up along the length of the dough and you get many small snails (as shown).

Option Two: Roll it along the short width of the dough and you get not so many large snails (not shown). The choice is yours. Using a pastry cutter, divide the roll into 1.5cm (1/2in) thick  pieces.  Place them on baking sheets ‘with their tails/ends facing’ down making sure there is enough space between them to prevent them from baking into each other.  The number of snails/snegler will vary depending upon the size you chose to make. 

Next, allow them to rise once again as the dough did before under a cloth for about 20-30 minutes (they should expand to about 1/3 larger in size). 

5:  While they are rising, prepare the egg wash and pre-heat the oven.

6:  When they are ready, brush each piece with the wash before you place them into the oven to bake.  If you chose to make the small snails, you have the option here to place each piece into a large cupcake liner, if you wish (I did not use them here).

7: Bake in preheated oven at 200 degrees C (400F) for 12-15 minutes or until light golden.  As with any new recipe, keep an eye on the first batch to gage the heat of your oven and time to attain that perfect light golden hue.

8: Remove from oven and place on a rack to cool.  While they are cooling, prepare the sugar glaze/glazur for decorating them.  Once they have cooled enough to permit you to sprinkle the glaze on them without melting right off, add enough glaze to each to allow for a taste to every bite!

9: These taste best when eaten the same day. However, they can be easily reheated the day after and they're like fresh baked.

TIP: You can decorate the brushed snails with chopped almonds or pearl sugar before you put them in the oven if it should be extra festive…I prefer using the sugar glaze and adding slivered almonds.