Nostalgia smells like cinnamon

I was recently asked to create a recipe which associate with nostalgia for Name Mag . First thing that came to my mind were cinnamon and apples.

I imagined coming back from school in the late, dark winter evening and my grandmother bustling in the kitchen, preparing dinner for me and my sister. She would bake the best apple pies (served necessarily with big cup of sweet, lemon tea) and cook those amazing chicken wings, which I actually can't stop to think now.

Cinnamon buns are most popular in Northern Europe and USA so back home I never heard of those little sweet treats. We were eating other, equally delicious types of viennoiseries, filled with fruits, custard or marmalade.

For some reason, I still believe nostalgia smells like cinnamon even though as I child I didn't eat much of it. I could bet my grandmother used to add this amazing spice to her apple pies and smell of freshly baked good would fill the room.

I would like to blend this beautiful childhood memory into sweet and fluffy Apple and Cinnamon buns. Even if I've never tried them as a child I believe nostalgia smells exactly like those soft sweet little rolls.

Cinnamon and Apple Buns

(makes 14 buns)

Dough

7 g dry yeast

118 ml warm water

57 g sugar

Pinch of salt

75 g butter

118 ml whole milk

1 egg

420 g flour

2 tbsp oil

Filling

2 apples

130 g melted butter

150 g brown sugar plus 20 g to sprinkle buns at the end

3 tbsp ground cinnamon

Glaze

75 g icing sugar

2 tbsp warm water

Stir yeast into the warm water and leave in on the side to activate.In the large mixing bowl whip sugar, salt and butter together. It will take around 2 minutes to become white and fluffy.

Add milk, egg, half of flour and whisk it all together. Pour yeast mix in and add the remaining flour. Knead the dough on lightly floured surface until the dough gets thick. If you are lucky to have stand mixer with dough hook, use it instead of doing everything by hand. It will be faster and definitely less messy.

Place the dough in greased bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave it to rest until doubled in size (around 1 hour).

In the meantime, peel and cut apples into small, square chunks. Mix sugar and cinnamon together.

When dough is ready, roll it out into a thin rectangle. Spread melted butter all over it, sprinkle with apples and sugar- cinnamon mix.Starting from the longer side of the rectangle, roll the dough up tightly into log. Pinch edge of the dough gently, to keep it sealed. Cut into 14 slices.

Place buns slightly apart on the baking pan, and sprinkle with brown sugar. Leave to rise, for around 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180 ºC. Bake for around 30 minutes, until nice, brown and smell like heaven. Cool for 20 minutes.

To make a glazing, simply mix icing sugar and water. Use a tablespoon to drizzle the glaze over baked buns.