{"id":2519,"date":"2010-12-26T11:24:06","date_gmt":"2010-12-26T17:24:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/?p=2519"},"modified":"2020-12-04T17:46:24","modified_gmt":"2020-12-04T23:46:24","slug":"savor-schnecken-like-a-snail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2010\/12\/savor-schnecken-like-a-snail\/","title":{"rendered":"Savor Schnecken Like a Snail"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Rosemary<\/a>
Rosemary with a plate of schnecken.
Ben Pollock photo<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My Reform Jewish family in Fort Smith, Arkansas, had schnecken for breakfast every Christmas. There was no recipe so every December in adulthood I’ve tried to recreate the childhood memory, with cookbooks, recollections of family and improvising. That was starting in my 20s. In my 30s, I also began cooking healthier. These cannot honestly be made without butter and sweeteners, I’ve found, but some whole wheat flour heightens the flavor. The last and longest step has been to increase the efficiency of the recipe as it is cumbersome, as well as keeping the quality consistent. I think this is it.<\/p>\n

Schnecken, the Internet says, is German for snail, and it’s the Yiddish expression for the spiral, snail shell-like shape. For everyone not inclined to schmooze online<\/a>, schnecken are essentially the same as what often are called sticky buns or caramel-pecan rolls, generally with raisins as well. All are cooked upside-down, the dough placed atop a glaze and baked, then inverted to serve. My family’s apparently were baked in muffin tins, not a jelly roll pan, so that’s what I do. The smaller size controls the calories, sort of.<\/p>\n

The following is not a recipe for bread-baking novices. It’s not sophisticated, just several stages to go through. Any good bread book will have a multigrain challah or brioche dough; prepare as directed, until you get to the stage of final shaping.<\/p>\n

A hint on sweeteners used here: Light brown sugar and light corn syrup provide a somewhat lighter texture and lighter color. Dark brown sugar and dark corn syrup provide more of a molasses flavor.<\/p>\n

Dough<\/h3>\n

About 2 pounds of any challah or brioche “enriched” yeast dough, preferably one including whole wheat. Bakers call a bread enriched when it includes eggs, dairy and\/or a sugar. A 2-pound loaf is one that starts with around 4 cups of flour. (See updated credits at bottom.)<\/p>\n

Cinnamon-Sugar Filling<\/h3>\n