Step 1

First, I prepare everything for the dough. Start by proofing the yeast. Sprinkle sugar into a glass of warm water. Stir just until nearly dissolved, and add yeast. Stir until all is dissolved well combined. Set aside to proof (it takes about 30 minutes before it’s ready for you).

Step 2

Place butter into a small saucepan and melt it over a hot burner. Set aside to cool until just barely warm.

Step 3

After the butter has cooled to warm add mayonnaise and stir to combine well. Set aside until ready for use.

Step 4

Pour milk into a separate small saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Set aside to cool just until barely warm. After the milk cools, add proofed yeast mixture to the milk. Stir it well and set aside until ready for use.

Step 5

Beat eggs and sugar for 5 minutes on high. Reduce the speed to low and add salt, vanilla, milk, yeast/milk mixture, and melted butter/mayonnaise mixture.

Step 6

Switch to the dough hook attachment and gradually add sifted flour; one cup at a time. Then continue adding ½ cup of flour thereafter, scraping down the sides of the bowl with each flour addition. The dough should be soft and not sticky to a rubber spatula.

Step 7

Cover the bowl of dough with plastic food wrap. Puncture about 5 small holes in the plastic wrap with a knife for the dough to breath (while preventing hardening on the top), then place a clean kitchen towel over the plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm place for the dough to rise for about 2 hours.

Step 8

After the dough rises, transfer it onto a floured work surface.

Step 9

Rinse, peel and grate 2 apples using a carrot grater. (Grate 2 apples at one time to prevent from darkening.)

Step 10

Split the dough into 3 chunks. Cover 2 of them with plastic food wrap. Divide the first chunk into 3 oz. balls. (Cover the rest of the dough pieces with plastic wrap to prevent from drying.) Using a rolling pin roll out about a 5 X 13-inch rectangular shape.

Step 11

Place ¾ cup of grated apples on one edge of length. Roll it into a log and pinch ends carefully.

Step 12

Hold one end of the log up and swirl it into a circle to create the bun. Fold the other end under the bun. Then tuck in the top edges to make the cute looking rose bun. It will be about 3 inches (7.6 cm) in diameter before proofing.

Step 13

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Place buns onto a lined parchment paper 16 X 22 baking sheet. Cover the pan with a dry and clean kitchen towel and allow them to proof for 20 minutes. While the buns are rising make the egg wash. Combine egg with water and beat it with a fork. (TIP: I make a separate egg wash for each pan because the egg wash gets old by the time you're done assembling all the buns.)

Step 14

Brush proofed buns with egg wash and sprinkle with raw organic cake sugar.

Step 15

Bake the buns for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool to warm before removing buns from the parchment paper.

Step 16

While the buns are baking repeat the same steps with the rest of the dough, apple shredding and egg wash.

Step 17

Enjoy them warm with a cup of coffee, tea or cold milk.