Gingerbread rolls

Nowadays, when we think of Christmas sweets, we think of melomakarona, kourampiedes, and gingerbread. Gingerbread has entered our homes well and fully, and the little hands have loved its ginger aroma ever since he was little. So, this year, I decided to use it somewhere else as well, transforming the cinnamon rolls into gingerbread rolls. Thus, we have this fluffy and delicious treat in a much more festive and Christmas-y version, egg free and refined sugar-free. In this venture, the beloved white petimezi by Cretan Nectar was my ally, and thus the recipe became vegan as well. The result? Not only justified my decisions, but we also loved it.

What we are going to need

For the dough

• Flour. For the healthy gingerbread rolls, you’ll need all-purpose flour.
• Yeast. Dry yeast, to ensure they rise well.
• Olive oil. Is there a better oil than our own olive oil?
• Milk. I personally used goat milk, but you can use any kind of milk you happen to have at home, even plant milk.
• White petimezi by Cretan Nectar. I’ve mentioned white petimezi before. It’s suitable for children over the age of 6 months old, but like all sweeteners, it should be used in moderation before the age of 2 years old. In contrast to normal petimezi, it has been processed at lower temperatures without caramelizing, and as a result doesn’t have the characteristic bitter flavour of the classic petimezi, adding its unique flavour to the mixture.
• Spices. Ginger, ginger, and more ginger! Ah, sorry, we won’t be using just that, but also cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. If you don’t like ginger’s intense flavour, use less, but remember that we’re making ginger rolls!

For the filling

• Dates. Medjool dates are truly one of my favourite ingredients. You can use normal dates too, but you’ll need to soak them first.
• Spices. Everything you used in the dough.
• Milk. Plant or animal, anything you happen to have.

For the topping

• Cream cheese.
• Butter.
• White petimezi by Cretan Nectar.

Tips

• The dough needs quite a bit of kneading in order for the gluten to be activated and reach our desired fluffy result.
• The recipe can be made without a mixer, but you’ll need to knead the dough for a while.
• The milk must be tepid, or at least at room temperature.
  It’s best to eat the gingerbread rolls on the same day.
• After the ginger rolls have cooled down, store them in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
• You can store them in the freezer, and when you want to eat them, let them come to room temperature first. That way, you can store them for up to 3 months.

How the little hands can help

• Your little helpers can weigh the ingredients.
• They can spread the dough with the rolling pin and fill it.
• They can decorate the gingerbread rolls.

For the dough

• 430 g all-purpose flour
• 250 g milk (plant or animal), tepid
• 35 g olive oil
• 60 g white petimezi by Cretan Nectar
• 8 g dry yeast
• 1 ¾ tsp ginger
• ¾ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• cloves

For the filling

• 250 g Medjool dates, pitted, at room temperature
• 60 g milk
• 20 g white petimezi by Cretan Nectar (optional)
• 1 tsp ginger or cinnamon