Schneckennudeln

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I can't believe I'm already back to wearing my winter coat! I thought I was being too worried when I decided to pack it for this trip but it turns out I was wrong. It's fall and I'm not convinced I like it. Don't get me wrong, I love those nice crisp (dry) mornings you do get in the fall, I'm a complete sucker for those, BUT it's still August for crying out lout.
So I've decided today's recipe is going to be one that warms your heart on days like today.
I got the recipe from my friend Juliane who kept baking and cooking for me whenever I was at home this summer :)
Juliane made those gorgeous cinnamon rolls (and before you ask about the title, that's what they're called in the South, none of that Zimtschnecken weirdness :) so we're sticking with the 'proper' name, or something like that....)
Anyhow, they're all lovely and easy to make and taste sooo much better than the bought stuff!

Schneckennudeln (enough for 2 trays)
42gr Fresh Yeast
500ml Milk, lukewarm
850g Plain flour
100g Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla essence
125g Butter
Zest of 1 lemon
A pinch of salt

For the filling:
200ml Cream
1tbsp Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla essence
100g Ground almonds
100g Chopped hazelnuts
1-2 tsp Cinnamon
Dried cranberries / raisins / whatever else you might want to have in the rolls

Mix all the ingredients for the dough (you can make a starter with the yeast, most of the milk and some of the flour and sugar but if you're using fresh yeast there's not really a need for this) and then get kneading. Keep going until you feel like your arms are falling off (if that is less than 5 minutes this is a sign you should start going to the gym ;) you want to aim for 10 to 15 minutes) or use your trusty Kitchen Aid (if you have one I'm very jealous!!!)
Leave the dough to rise fro an hour or two until it has doubled in size. Juliane likes to cover the dough and put it into the sun if it's summer, I'm more a believer in the flavour you get from a cold-rise but in the end just go for whatever works better for you. If you're struggling for time leave it to rise somewhere warmish that way you get your cinnamon rolls after an hour, if you've got overnight give them that time (don't forget to allow the dough to warm up in the morning before you continue with the recipe).
Whip the cream and the sugar until you have soft peaks forming, add the vanilla, the almonds, hazelnuts and the cinnamon (use a spoon).
Now it's time to preheat your oven to 250 degrees (so that's what Juliane's recipe says but I'm not convinced that her oven is that hot if you know that your oven is on the hot side of the spectrum (like mine) go for 220 - the last time I used mine at 250 degrees I cremated my roast veg)
Anyhow, back to the cinnamon rolls, split the dough into two pieces, roll out 1 of them into a rectangle until it's about 1/2cm thick.
Spread half the filling onto the dough and sprinkle with the cranberries/raisins/other random fillings you decided to go for.
Roll up the dough along the wider side until you have a sausage of sugary dough. Cut the sausage into 2cm thick slices.
Line two baking tray with parchment and stick the swirls on there. Give them another 5 minutes to so slightly more puffy before you put them into the oven.

Aim for the middle of the oven (I would just bake the two trays separately) and give them somewhere between 5 and 15 minutes (what I'm trying to say is it really depends on your oven and what temperature you go for, keep checking! No running away to do some more work here!)
If you feel too energetic you can glaze the Schneckennudeln (or Schegganuhdla as Juliane would say) with a mix of lemon juice and icing sugar but they're already amazing just the way they are (and who wants to ice them if you could just eat them while they're still warm).
Enjoy with a glass of milk or some nice coffee and lots and lots of gossip :)