Cinnamon and Chocolate Almond Roll Cake

Yesterday was Valentine´s Day. I am not such a firm believer in proclaimed holidays like this, but I sure like to take them as "apology" for disappearing in the kitchen, and whipping up something special. Like this "half and half" cake - half filled with cinnamon, half with chocolate cream and ground almonds.


The little ones are so cute - and totally unplanned. A mere product of coincidence. Aren´t those the best? Actually, they are the cut-offs of the actual dough used for their big brothers:


The base for this Rosenkuchen ("rose cake" as we call it in Germany) is an easy yeast dough. And you can substitute the filling with whatever you like - from pudding to raisins to chocolate to jam and so on.

The yeast dough is absolutely wonderful - and hasslefree. Some simple hints for all of you who shudder in fear when they hear "yeast dough":

1. Use fresh yeast. I have made the weirdest experiences with the dry kind.
2. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm liquid (half water, half milk). If the liquid is too hot, the yeast will die. Literally. Easy test: stick your finger in the liquid. If it feels comfortable, you´re good.
3. Knead everything together. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour. Don´t stick to the recipe - it depends on the flour and humidity how much you need. Sometimes, I need way more than the recipe calls for.
4. When the dough comes off the walls of your bowl easily, you´re done. Dust with flour, cover with a clean kitchen towel and stick into a warm place until it has risen to double size. If you are not sure about what a warm place is: preheat your oven to 50°C, turn it off, keep the light on and stick your bowl in. 100% safe solution.
5. When the dough has risen, knead again and work into whatever baked good you want to produce.

You can use this yeast dough for any sweet baking, bread as well as pastry. In my case, I welled out the dough, and spread it with the two fillings. Why two fillings, you might ask? Well, because I LOVE cinnamon, and my significant other, A., HATES it. Didn´t want to take the ego road on valentine´s day ; )
The dough was absolutely wonderful, and the whole cake didn´t last a full two days. Go try it yourself - it is one of my most favourite recipes.

Recipe for Cinnamon Chocolate Almond Roll Cake


Ingredients

For the dough:
1 cube fresh yeast (42g)
120ml water, lukewarm
120ml milk, lukewarm
50g margarine
60g sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
480g flour

For the cinnamon filling:
2 teaspoons cinnamon
40g sugar, brown
butter, melted

For the chocolate almond filling:
chocolate spread
50g ground almonds

For the icing:
120g confectioner´s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk


Preparation

1. Mix water and milk in a glass. Add 10g of the sugar for dough. Break yeast into pieces and dissolve in the liquid.
2. In a big bowl, combine all other ingredients, forming a dent in the middle.
3. Pour the dissolved yeast-mixture into the dent, and knead everything into a dough until it comes off the walls of your bowl. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour - if it is too dry, add more milk or water.
4. Cover the dough with a clean and dry towel, and stick into a warm place until the dough has risen to double size. Trick: since my appartment is usually rather cold, I preheat my oven to 50°C, turn it off, and then stick the dough in. Works wonderful.
5. When the dough has risen (should take about 40-60 minutes), knead again and roll out square (about 76x46cm). Cut into half.
6. Brush one half with the melted butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar.
7. Coat the other half with chocolate spread, and sprinkle with ground almonds.
8. Roll up the dough from the longer side. Cut into equal-sized pieces.
9. Grease a baking pan. Preheat oven to 175°C.
10. Put your dough pieces inside the baking pan. Don´t sqeeze them in - they will rise and spread.
    
11. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
12. Meanwhile, prep the icing: mix confectioner´s sugar and vanilla extract, and add milk. Stir well.
    
13. Remove cake from oven. While still hot, pour over the icing.

Guten Appetit! Enjoy your meal! Bon Appétit!