Ingredients
Method
Make the Dough
- Stir the teaspoon of maple sugar into the warm water. Sprinkle in the yeast, stir once to wet it, and leave undisturbed for 5–10 minutes, until bubbly and foamy.
- Add the milk, Greek yogurt, egg, remaining maple sugar, and vanilla bean paste. Add the flour and sea salt; mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead in the softened butter one tablespoon at a time. Continue kneading for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. Add extra flour only if it is too sticky to handle.
- Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 60–90 minutes, until doubled.
Prepare the Apples and Filling
- Halve and core the apples, leaving the skins on. Use a mandoline to cut them into very thin half-moons, about 1/16 inch thick.
- Bring the water, lemon juice, maple sugar, and pinch of salt to a gentle simmer in a wide saucepan. Add the apple slices and simmer for 1–2 minutes, just until they bend without snapping. Drain, spread on clean towels, pat very dry, and cool completely.
- Mix the filling ingredients into a thick, smooth paste. Keep at room temperature so it spreads easily.
Shape and Rise
- Grease eight cavities of a jumbo muffin pan. Roll the risen dough into a roughly 12 × 18-inch rectangle. Cut it into eight strips, each about 1½ inches wide and 18 inches long.
- Spread a thin layer of filling over each strip. Overlap apple slices along one long edge, with their red curved edges extending about ½ inch beyond the dough. Fold the opposite edge of dough slightly over the bottoms of the apple slices.
- Starting at a short end, roll each strip into a loose spiral and place it upright in the pan. Cover loosely and rise for 20–30 minutes, until slightly puffy. Do not wait for the roses to double. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Brush and Bake
- Simmer the cider for the brush until reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the maple syrup, butter, and salt until glossy. Lightly brush the roses just before baking.
- Bake for 25–32 minutes, until the dough is golden and baked through and the apple petals are tender. Loosely tent with foil if the exposed apples brown too quickly. Rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove.
Glaze and Finish
- Simmer the cider for the glaze until reduced to about 1 tablespoon; cool completely. Whisk it with the Greek yogurt, maple syrup, finely blended maple sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add a tiny splash of milk only if needed.
- Drizzle the glaze over the warm roses, keeping most of it on the dough and sides so the petals stay visible. If desired, lightly brush the petals with maple syrup and finish with cinnamon and flaky salt.
Nutrition
Notes
- Nutrition is an estimate that includes the filling, cider brush, and glaze, but excludes the optional finishing syrup. Actual amounts vary with apple size and how much simmering liquid the apples absorb.
- Dry the softened apples thoroughly. Excess water makes the filling slippery and the dough gummy.
- The strips need to be about 1½ inches wide to yield eight strips from a 12-inch-wide rectangle.
- Reduce the cider for the brush and glaze separately, or reduce ½ cup cider to about 2 tablespoons and divide it evenly.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Warm the rolls gently and add refrigerated glaze just before serving when possible.
- For a head start, make the dough and filling the day before. Refrigerate the dough after its first rise; bring it toward room temperature before rolling and shaping.