it is january now, which means we are in the middle of winter. The holidays are over and we are looking forward to ski trips in the mountains, warm fireplaces in a cozy lodge and sledding with friends and family. And what is better after a long day in the cold winter wonderland of glistening snow and crisp mountain air, then some of the most delicious, sweet and still warm Walnut-Marzipan rolls? Accompanied by a cup of hot tea, mulled wine or eggnog these decadent Nut rolls are the perfect afternoon treat when you are having friends and family over or even for you alone to enjoy with a good book and a purring cat by your side.
In the winter time, nuts (especially walnuts) and marzipan are the most popular things to work with when it comes to baking. Walnuts have such a nice flavor...No matter if it is a roast venison with cranberries or a sweet dessert, they go with everything.
"A long time ago, almonds and sugar were very luxury goods and
it was first made in persia to please the desires of wealthy people."
These rolls are not only fluffy and moist, but they also have a rich and nutty flavor to them, that works perfectly together with the drizzle of sweet frosting on top. If you take one bite, the flavors combine in your mouth, the nuts and the marzipan playing a duet of harmony and perfection...and at this point you are already addicted. These are not only for marzipan lovers. So even if you are not a huge marzipan fan, still give them a try and you'll see: Everybody loves them!!
Ingredients for the dough:
600g all purpose flour
1 large egg
100g sugar
100ml warm milk
50g butter
42g fresh yeast
Ingredients for the filling:
100g grated walnuts
50g grated almonds
100g marzipan
150g butter
1 large egg
100g sugar
1tsp cinnamon
Ingredients for the frosting:
100g icing sugar
1-2 tbs cold water
Preparation:
Grab yourself a large mixing bowl and whisk your butter, milk and sugar together. Then, in a small bowl mix a little bit of warm water with one teaspoon of sugar and crumble your fresh yeast in it and let that sit for two minutes. Now, stir it a litte bit and then pour it in your butter-milk mixture. After that, add all the flour and give it agood stir until it is a smooth batter. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle some more flour on top and work it in with your hands until it is how you want it. Then, take another large bowl, grease it with some vegetable oil and put your dough in it. Cover it with a kitchen towel and put it somewhere warm. (Tip: I either place mine near the heater or under the bedcovers.) Now, leave it there for a good two hours to rise. During that time you can start making the filling. In a medium sized bowl, put all the ingredients together and mix them with a fork or as I do, use your hands and set it aside until the dough is ready.
After your dogh is really doubled in volume, you can roll it out until it is about 1 - 1,5 cm thick. Spread the filling evenly on top and carefully roll it. Now, use a sharp knife to cut 10-12 equal pieces. Take a large baking tray or a muffin form and place the rolls on it and make sure there is enough space between them because they will rise again for one hour. And now they are ready to go into the preheated oven at 170° for about 45 minutes. The time really depends on your type of oven, so check them every now and then to make sure they won't burn on the top. After they are out of the oven, give them some time to cool and then stir the icing sugar and the water together and drizzle it on top of the rolls.
