These are simple and good breakfast rolls. They are soft and sweet, and apricot jam and shredded coconut twirl throughout the centers. The rolls have a sourdough tang that keeps them from being "too sweet." I use a good bit of white whole-wheat flour in the rolls, which gives them even more flavor as well as making the rolls more nutritious (if that counts in a sweet roll!). The rolls are easy to make. You can vary the flavor of jam (or preserves) to suit your taste and avoid a trip to the grocery store. If all you have on hand is strawberry jam, for example, use it. It will be fine, and the rolls will be quite good. You can glaze the rolls or leave them plain. I usually opt for the plain route, because I think the rolls are sweet enough "as is." We like the rolls for breakfast, but they also are great with tea, coffee, and, according to my husband, for dessert. Enjoy!
Sourdough Apricot and Coconut Jam Twirls -- Makes 6 - 8
1 cup of sourdough starter/discard
1 large egg
1/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup of canola oil
1/4 cup of sugar
1 1/2 cups of white whole-wheat flour (or use regular whole-wheat or all-purpose)
In a large bowl mix together well the starter/discard, egg, milk, oil, and sugar. Stir in the flour until well blended. Loosely cover the mixture and let it sit for at least an hour. Three to five hours is fine, too, if you're busy. When you're ready, add:
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
Knead the mixture well for 3-5 minutes, kneading in an additional 1/2 cup of flour, if necessary, to prevent the dough from being too sticky. Press/roll the dough into a rectangle about a foot long and 10-12-inches wide. Mix together in a cup:
1 tablespoon of melted butter
1/3 cup of apricot (or other) jam or preserves
2-4 tablespoons of shredded coconut flakes
Spread the mixture out over the dough, stopping about 1/2-inch from each edge. Roll up the dough, jelly-roll-style. Cut the roll, crosswise, into 6-8 slices. Line an 8- or 9-inch baking pan with baking parchment (or aluminum foil) and put the slices in the pan, leaving about an inch between them. Let the rolls rise until they increase in size by about a third. This usually a takes a couple of hours in my not-too-warm kitchen. When it's hot (like now, during summer!), the process is faster. When you're almost ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes or until they are lightly browned. If you'd like to glaze the rolls, mix together in a cup:
1 teaspoon of butter
3/4 cup of confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons of orange juice or milk
Microwave the glaze mixture for about 30 seconds or until it's hot. Stir it well and drizzle the mixture over the warm rolls.
