To Prepare Tangzhong Starter:

In a small saucepan, whisk together water, milk and flour until smooth.  Whisking constantly, cook the mixture over medium heat until thick.  The whisk will leave lines in the thickened starter.  Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. 

To Prepare Dough:

In a large bowl, using a standing or hand-held mixer or by hand, combine the Tangzhong Starter, and all of the dough ingredients.  Mix until everything comes together.  Cover the dough and let rest for about 20 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the liquids.  

Knead the dough by hand, using the hook attachment on a standing mixer, or in a bread machine.  Dough should be smooth, elastic and slightly sticky.  

Form dough into a ball.  Place into a lightly greased bowl and turn to coat.  Cover the bowl with a damp cloth towel or greased plastic wrap.  Place bowl in a warm location and let dough rise for 60 to 90 minutes, or until dough has almost doubled in size.  Prepare Apple Pie Filling and Crumble Topping while dough is rising.  

To Prepare Apple Pie Filling:

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt 4 tbsp. butter and the 1/4 cup granulated sugar until bubbly.  Stir in apples.  Continue to cook until apples are soft and slightly caramelized.  The apples will give off liquid, but cook this out until syrupy.  Remove from heat and allow to cool. 

To Prepare Crumb Topping:

In a medium bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and melted butter.  Stir in flour and combine into a ball.  Set aside. 

To Form Rolls:

Spray a 9-X 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom and long sides of the pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over the pan sides. Set aside. 

Gently deflate dough with your fingertips.  On a lightly floured board, roll the dough into a 18-inch by 24-inch rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. 

Spread the remaining 3 tbsp. unsalted butter across the dough to all edges.  Evenly place Apple Pie Filling over the butter.  Combine 1 cup brown sugar and 1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon.  Spread equally over the apples. 

Starting with the edge closest to you, roll the dough into a tight log.  Pinch the seam shut with your fingers.  Use a serrated knife to cut the log into twelve 2-inch slices.  Place cut slices into the prepared 9-X 13-inch pan.  If they appear crowded, this is okay.   

Using your hands, break up the Crumb Topping into pea-sized pieces.  Scatter this evenly over the tops of the cut roll slices. 

Again, loosely cover the pan and place in a warm location.  Let rolls rise until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.  They will crowd one another and is okay.  As dough is in it’s final rise, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Place uncovered pan in the preheated oven.  Bake rolls for 27 to 30 minutes or until they feel set. The internal temperature of the dough should be between 188 and 190 degrees F.  The rolls may have a pale golden color.  To maintain the moisture in these rolls, it’s okay to slightly under bake them.  

As rolls bake, prepare Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Icing:

Using a hand-held mixer or a standing mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, brown and powdered sugars, vanilla and salt.  Beat at medium speed until smooth.  Add 3 tbsp. milk to cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth.  To thin icing into a pour-able consistency, beat milk in 1 tsp. increments until desired thickness is reached.  

Drizzle Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Icing over hot rolls.  Serve immediately.  Store cooled rolls in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days at room temperature…or until they’re gobbled up.  Whichever comes first.  To reheat rolls, loosely cover them with aluminum foil and place in preheated 350 degree F oven until warm.