Walnut Rolls

I am super excited to share this recipe with you!  I've been working on it on and off again since the beginning of February, so it is great to finally have a product that is blog-worthy and relatively fool-proof!  I made this recipe over the weekend at my parents' house.  Lots of people were coming for the weekend (18 to be exact!) so I got there Thursday night to secure a bed and bake this bread.  Just kidding!  I really got there early so I could spend the day with my mom. 

Claiming a bed and making the bread were just added bonuses.  I don't know about you, but going home for a visit always recharges my batteries. I enjoy hanging out with everyone and listening to the adventures they've been on since we've been together last. 

And, of course, there is always copious amounts of eating and quite possibly even more (bad?) puns.  Yes, it is nice to spend time at home. 

As a result of this weekend, I can tell you that this recipe is a crowd pleaser.  We had one loaf on Saturday and one on Sunday, and they were pretty much gone within a few minutes of slicing.  When we cut the second loaf, it was the fastest I've ever seen one of my baked goods disappear.  I actually had to hide a few pieces so my sister-in-law could try some, which in my book, is a marker of true baking success.

Notes: 
For me, the part of this recipe that requires the most patience is making sure the water is the correct temperature.  It always takes me a few tries of heating and then adding cold water to get it into the correct temperature range.  You need the water to be warm enough so that it activates the yeast, but not so hot that it kills it.  The first step where you combine the yeast, sugar, and some of the warm water is done to “proof” the yeast (i.e., make sure that it is working).  If your yeast does not bubble after 5 minutes or so, it is more than likely dead, so you will need to get yourself some new yeast and start again.  You may need more or less flour for this recipe, depending on how sticky the dough is.  The aim is to be able to shape the dough into a ball that does not stick to your hands but is not overly dry.  This is a Saturday-morning kind of recipe because it takes some time to complete.  It's not complicated, but you'll need to allow about 20 minutes to mix the dough, an hour and a half for rising, another 20 minutes or  so to make the filling and shape the loaves, and another hour or so for baking.  I always seem to end up with just a little bit of the filling left.  I like to bake it up separately and make crispy walnut puddle cookies.  As you can see, sometimes you might get some air bubbles that form in the loaf and you don't have a perfect solid spiral.  That's ok.  It is still going to taste awesome!

Adapted from The World Of Jewish Desserts: More Than 400 Delectable Recipes from Jewish Communities

Roll Ingredients:
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1¼ cups warm water (105-110ºF), divided use
¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided use
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
~4 cups of flour

Filling Ingredients:
2½  cups shelled walnuts
1¼ cups light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
¾ cups (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Additional Ingredients:
Butter to grease the pan
Flour for rolling
Water for sealing

Yields two loaves

Proof, Mix, Shape, Rest:
In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup of the warm water, the yeast, and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, and allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes or so until the mixture is bubbly.  In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, the remaining 1 cup of warm water and ¼ cup of granulated sugar, and the salt.  Add the "proofed" yeast mixture  to the large bowl, and stir until combined.  Stir in two cups of the flour, and then gradually add the remaining flour until the dough holds together.  You should be able to easily pick it up with your hands without excessive sticking.  If the dough is still too sticky, add some additional flour.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently kneed it for about 5 minutes, or until it is smooth.  Shape the dough into a smooth ball by first picking it up and patting it into a square.  Gently stretch each corner of the dough, and tuck it underneath the bottom of the dough ball, rotating the ball as you go along.  This will give you a dough ball that is nice, round, and smooth.  Set the dough ball on a cutting board or plate, and cover it lightly with a dish towel that won't leave fuzzies behind.  Allow the dough to rest undisturbed for an hour and a half, or until it had approximately doubled in size.

Measure, Grind, Punch, Rest, Roll, Fill, Roll, Bake:
About 1 hour and 10 minutes or so into the rising process, begin to make the filling and prepare for baking.  Combine the walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon in the food processor, and pulse until the nuts are pea-sized.  Add the butter and vanilla, and process until the mixture has formed a paste.  After the rising is complete, punch down the dough and then fold and press it together several times.  Place the towel back over it and allow it to rest for an additional 10 minutes.  In the meantime, adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven, and preheat to 350°F.  Grease two loaf pans with butter and line each of them with a piece of parchment paper with at least two inches of overhang on the long sides of the pans.  Set the pans aside.  Lightly flour the countertop, and find your rolling pin.  Once the 10 minutes have passed, use a serrated knife to cut the loaf into two equal pieces.  Take the first piece and place it on the lightly floured countertop, and roll it out in a circle until it is about a ¼-inch thick (~12-13-inches wide).  Spread with about half of the filling out onto the dough, leaving a 1-inch border.  Moisten the 1-inch border somewhat liberally with water, and then starting at one side of the circle, gently roll up the dough.  Do not roll it too tightly.  Flip the roll so that the seam side is facing you.  Press on the seam to seal it, using additional water if necessary.  Press the ends firmly to seal them, and then fold them over so they overlap with the seam.  Place the roll seam and tucked-edges down in the pan.  Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.  Place the rolls in the preheated oven and bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the bread is baked through.  Remove the bread from the oven, and allow it to rest in the pans for 5-10 minutes. Then, use a thin knife to release the bread from the short ends of the pans.  Lift the bread out of the pans using the edges of the parchment paper, remove the parchment paper, and allow the bread to cool.  Once cool, wrap well and store at room temperature. 

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