Cinnamon-Pecan Buns or Braided Wreath

By á-29897

Ingredients

• Dough:
• 2 cups / 300g whole spelt flour (plus extra for kneading)
• 4 tsp. baking powder or 1 Tbsp. dry active yeast
• 2 Tbsp. coconut sugar
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
• 3 Tbsp. coconut oil (or butter), softened
• Filling:
• 1 1/2 cups / 225g chopped dates
• 3/4 cup / 175ml water
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• pinch ground cardamom (if desired)
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 3/4 cup / 75g pecans, chopped (optional)
• Glaze:
• 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• Frosting:
• 1/2 cup goat or sheep’s milk yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
• pinch cinnamon

Details

Adapted from mynewroots.org

Preparation

Step 1

Directions for yeast-free Cinnamon Buns:

1. Start by making the filling. Pit and chop dates into chunks. Place in a saucepan with water, beginning with just ½ cup. Bring to a simmer and stir often to break up the dates and form a chunky paste. If your dates are dry, add more water. Stir in cinnamon, cardamom and salt. Add more water if necessary. Set aside to cool.

2. In a large bowl sift together the dry ingredients. Add coconut oil and mix with your fingers until the mixture is a slightly crumbly. Stir in applesauce until a dough forms; use your hands if necessary to bring dough together.

3. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead a few times into a ball. Roll out dough into a 6 x 18” (15 x 45cm) rectangle. Slather filling in an even layer over the dough and sprinkle with roughly chopped pecans, reserving a few for garnish.

4. Starting at the top, short end, roll dough until you have a large roll. Make six even slices to create seven rolls. Place rolls in a round baking dish (mine was 9.5”/ 24cm across).

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes in a 375°F / 190°C oven until golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool for five minutes, then brush with maple syrup and sprinkle with remaining pecans.

6. To make frosting, simply stir together frosting ingredients and spread on individual portions, just before serving (instead of frosting the entire batch and eating them later…)
Directions for yeasted Cinnamon Wreath:

1. In a large bowl sift together the dry ingredients.

2. In a small saucepan combine applesauce, and coconut oil until just warm and coconut oil is melted (do not overheat or you will kill the yeast when you add it to the dry ingredients). Add applesauce and coconut oil to flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic, 3 to 5 minutes. Shape dough into a ball. Place dough in a bowl lightly greased with coconut oil; turn dough once to grease surface. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

4. Make the filling. Pit and chop dates into chunks. Place in a saucepan with water, beginning with just ½ cup. Bring to a simmer and stir often to break up the dates and form a chunky paste. If your dates are dry, add more water. Stir in cinnamon, cardamom and salt. Add more water if necessary. Set aside to cool.

5. Punch dough down, turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 10×20” (25x50cm) rectangle. Slather an even layer of filling across the dough and sprinkle with roughly chopped pecans, reserving a few for garnish. Roll the dough lengthwise into a log. Transfer to a piece of parchment paper. Slice vertically down the center of the log, leaving a few inches at one end. Carefully spiral the log halves around one another to create a sort of braid. Pinch the two ends together to form a wreath (to see helpful instructional photos, see here). Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Slide wreath onto a baking sheet, keeping the parchment paper underneath.

6. Bake for 30-35 minutes in a 375°F / 190°C oven until golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool for five minutes, then brush with maple syrup and sprinkle with remaining pecans.

7. To make frosting, simply stir together frosting ingredients and spread on individual portions, just before serving (instead of frosting the entire batch and eating them later…)