Whole Wheat Apple Snails with Cinnamon & Almonds

Preparing the Filling

• 1
  Peel, core, and cut the apples into small pieces. Place them in a pot with a little water and bring to a quick boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes until the apples are soft but still have some texture (do not cook them to a pulp). Drain the apples, reserving 250 ml of the cooking liquid. Return the liquid to the apples. In a small bowl, whisk the vanilla pudding powder with a little cold water until smooth, then add it to the apple mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Stir in the sugar, raisins, cardamom, and cinnamon, and let the filling cool completely.

Preparing the Dough

• 1
  Place the whole wheat flour in a bowl and form a well in the center. Pour in the lukewarm milk, crumble in the yeast, and add a teaspoon of honey. Carefully stir some flour from the edge into the milk with a fork to create a thin pre-dough. Let the pre-dough rise in a warm place for about 15–20 minutes.
• 2
  Then add one of the eggs, the remaining honey, and a pinch of salt, and mix everything together. Once the ingredients are combined, add the soft, diced butter and knead the dough vigorously (about 2 minutes once the butter is incorporated). Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, until its volume has significantly increased.

Shaping and Baking

• 1
  On a floured surface, shape the finished dough into a ball and then roll it out into a rectangle of approximately 20x30 cm. Spread the cooled apple filling evenly over the dough, leaving a narrow border free on one of the long ends. Carefully roll up the dough and place the roll in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes – this will make it easier to cut cleanly later.
• 2
  Cut the roll into 12 equal pieces. Place the snails in a greased and floured muffin tin and let them rise for another 15–20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180 °C top/bottom heat. Whisk the second egg, brush it over the snails, and sprinkle with almond flakes. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown.