Yeasted Cinnamon Rolls

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  First, we weigh all the ingredients. This is important because we will be making a starter from these ingredients, and accurate measurement is crucial to avoid mixing up the grams. It is also important to have all the ingredients at room temperature before preparing the dough.
• 2
  Pour 3 tablespoons of lukewarm milk into a cup (The liquid should be lukewarm, not hot. Hot milk could kill the yeast, and the starter would not rise. Too cold milk, on the other hand, may cause the starter to rise too slowly.). Add sugar and crumble the yeast, mixing it into the milk. Then add 3 tablespoons of plain flour and mix again to form a thicker batter, which we scrape from the sides of the cup and smooth at the bottom. Let the starter rise for 15 minutes.
• 3
  When the starter doubles in size, we start making the yeasted dough. Sift the flour into a large bowl and mix it with the remaining sugar. Make a well in the center, pour in the remaining milk, crack in the egg, and add the risen starter. Add the butter, cut into smaller pieces, to the edge of the flour. Now mix everything with a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients. Pour the mixture onto a work surface and knead it into a smooth, compact dough. Let it rise in a bowl covered with cling film or a towel for 1 hour (The dough may initially seem sticky during processing, but do not be tempted to add flour, as it would not benefit the dough, and the rolls would not be as soft. Knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes; if it still seems sticky after this time, let it rest covered with cling film on the counter for a few minutes. During this time, the gluten in the flour will activate, and the flour will absorb all the possible liquid. After resting, the dough should no longer be as sticky, so knead it again into a compact ball. Sometimes it helps to lightly oil your hands.).
• 4
  Line two baking trays with baking paper.
• 5
  Now prepare the filling. Place the softened butter, cut into pieces, into a larger bowl, add sugar and cinnamon, and mix everything into a fluffy cream. Grind the nuts finely.
• 6
  Divide the risen dough into two parts (¼ and ¾). Roll out the larger part into a square approximately 30 x 30 cm and spread the filling over it, leaving the top edge about 3 cm clean. Then roll the dough from the bottom up and cut it into 2.5 cm thick pieces using a thread. Arrange the sliced snail shells on the prepared baking tray.
• 7
  Divide the remaining dough, which we set aside at the beginning, into 14 pieces. Roll each into a 10 cm long roll and place it around the shell to form the snail's body. Let the prepared snails rise on the tray for 15 minutes and then brush them with beaten egg.
• 8
  Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
• 9
  When the snails have risen, brush them with beaten egg and bake in the oven preheated to 180 °C until golden brown, about 10 – 12 minutes. Let the finished snails cool.
• 10
  For the snail's eyes, prepare royal icing by beating 1 egg white with 160 g of powdered sugar. When the icing is nicely glossy and firm, transfer it to a bag with a small hole, and then pipe it onto baking paper to create approximately 1 cm large eyes. Add pupils using chocolate or dark sugar icing and let them dry at room temperature until the next day. Keep the remaining royal icing in the bag in the fridge until the next day; it will be useful for attaching the eyes.
• 11
  Clean the salt off the salty sticks and cut each in half. Insert two sticks into each snail's head and attach the prepared eyes on top using royal icing. Let everything set and then enjoy.