Cinnamon Swirl Crust
Happy April Everyone! I had a great time this weekend playing around with dough. That’s something I do a lot and I never weary of it. I was curious what would happen if I used Little Tasties to make a cinnamon swirl crust. I had several already rolled up logs in the freezer, and a pie to make for last night’s supper with friends, so while a big pot of Black Bean Chili (a favorite recipe that will be in the new book) was simmering on the stove top, I decided to see what I could do.
First step was to defrost the rolls on a metal sheet pan. When they were pliable enough, I cut them into pieces that were a generous 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. I put some flour on top of a large sheet of parchment paper and placed one Little Tasty in the middle of it. Then I started to place more of them around it. I realized that there was nothing that was gluing them together so, I pulled them apart, put a very small dab of water on one of the dough sides, pressed the next spiral shape piece of cinnamon-sugar filled dough snuggly up next to it, and continued in that fashion.
Rolling came next. I sprinkled on a little flour, placed a sheet of plastic wrap on top of all the swirls, and rolled out the first cinnamon swirl crust. It looked pretty good for a first attempt. I slid a plastic cutting board underneath the parchment paper and set the plastic covered dough in the fridge to chill while I rolled out the second dough and made a blueberry filling.
Then I contemplated how best to get it into the pie pan. I decided to pull off the plastic wrap, lay an inverted pie pan on top of the rolled out dough, and flip it over. The dough was more or less centered in the pan. I carefully pulled off the parchment paper.
I turned the blueberry filling into the pie pan next.
Placed the top dough on next by sort of deftly flopping it over the filling.
I trimmed up the edges.
Rolled them up and finished them with a tight scallop.
Here’s another view.
I added a few invisible vents right next to the fluted edge, gave it an egg white wash, and sprinkled it with sparkling sugar, which is one of my new favorite things to finish the top of a pie with. You’ve probably been using it for years, but sometimes I’m late to the game.
Then I popped it into the oven to bake as usual. When it came out I was pretty darn happy with the look.
What I learned:
- This pie now has a LOT of extra sugar in it. That’s great if you like your pies sweet sweet sweet. I like to taste the fruit, and since there was already sugar in little tasties I had made, sugar in the filling, AND sparkling sugar on top, I think it was too sweet.
- Next time I will make the cinnamon roll ups leaving out the sugar. I’ll get that nice swirled look but without the extra sweet.
Have a swirlingly lovely day!
This looks great! I’ve seen it done with canned cinnamon rolls but that dough is different and when it gets cold it’s terrible. I’m thinking this would be great for an apple pie coming up. That’s for sharing your technique!
Apple Pie would be great for this. I’m thinking a single crust pumpkin would, too. 🙂
Seems like everyone has the same vision, I had when I read this. Would be so great with apple pie, but probably peach or even blueberry would be good, anything that goes with cinnamon. Maybe a egg custard pie would be worth trying.
Thanks Kate for this wonderful idea.
It’s was pretty fun. You are so right, Adele. There are so many options for this one!
Genius! That’s what you are when it comes to pie making Kate. I grew up in a home where my mother made lots of cakes – some were from very old recipes like Mashed Potato Cake and Mayonnaise Cake and even (if you can believe) a Tomato Soup Cake. None of these were frosted as she preferred it without but sometimes we had it with whipped cream. (She baked cookies too but not many pies).
Thank you! I sure to love to play with flour. Those cakes sounds really old and very retro. Love to hear about them. Do you have her recipes?
My Dad’s FAVORITE cake was a mayonnaise one – made it for him last in 1970!!
That’s a while ago!
this looks luscious and would be so tasty with apple pie, what a great idea! Also, with your recommendation, I’m purchasing the uncommon apple book, which I enjoyed reading when I checked it out from the library.
and too, I made your little tasties from your cookbook and they were a great hit at my house. I’ll try them with a bit less sugar, but, too I suspect the pie will be delicious. Thanks, Marilyn Raff
So great to hear. I love Apples of Uncommon Character!
Great idea, Kate. Love the photos
Thanks Diane and great to hear from you. xo
Looks delicious! I’m going to try it with a pecan pie. Will definitely leave out the extra sugar for that! Thanks for sharing, Kate.
My pleasure, Chantal. Check back in here and let us know how it worked for you. 🙂
Oh, Kate, this looks wonderful! I, too, have seen the ones made with cinnamon rolls, and wouldn’t like that, I’m sure, but we love cinnamon in this family, and I think I could do this! I love that it was a blueberry pie – that’s my favorite fruit pie, so this would be something we would truly love here. I’m doing it for the very next pie!
I have left FaceBook, so you are now my touchstone for pie… I miss your FB group, but not a lot of the rest of the madness on FB.
So great to hear from you Julie! I hope you enjoy that pie. Let me know how it goes.
I love to read your blog. My Mother used to make what you call Little Tasties with leftover pie dough. Being Pa. Dutch we called them Rollie Pollies.
The dough brushed with softened butter and then sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon are delicious after baking. I think I will try an Apple pie with them on the bottom crust and maybe try a crumb topping.
I have heard them referred to as Rollie Pollies, too! I like the idea of a rollie pollie bottom and crumb top. Love to hear back about how you like it.
This is a charming use of those tasty tasties. A single pre-baked crust would be decadent filled with dark chocolate mocha cream or a dark chocolate ganache filling topped with whipped cream, garnished with a dusting of finely ground coffee powder… And I don’t even eat many sweets!
Oh my gosh. That combination sounds great!