Sweet Orange Rolls
Deliciously soft, orange-flecked rolls smothered in sweet orange glaze
Brenda simply tweaks her Favorite Dough Recipe to create these Sweet Orange Rolls.
If you’re new to kneading, check out Brenda's HOW TO: Knead Yeast Dough post
For tips on zesting, refer to HOW TO: Zest and Juice Citrus Fruits
Sweet Orange Rolls
To a large mixing bowl, add:
1 3/4 cups warm water
1/4 cup orange juice
4 tsp yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup potato flakes
2 1/4 cups flour
2 Tbsp orange zest
Stir until combined, then mix each in individually:
4 Tbsp butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
Dough should be somewhat “shaggy” indicating that it’s thickened enough to knead. Clean spoon and begin to knead, sprinkling in:
1 Tbsp increments flour, totaling 1/4-1/2 cup
Knead for about 10 minutes or until dough “blisters” and is soft and elastic. Cover.
Let rise 45 minutes.
Shape, some possibilities:
Bowknot rolls
Leaf design (see Window to B’s kitchen . . . below)
Proof 45 minutes.
Bake at 350F for 16-20 minutes. While baking, prepare:
Orange Glaze
To a small mixing bowl, add:
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
1 cup powdered sugar
Stir until smooth.
Remove baked orange rolls from oven. Glaze immediately.
Let rest 5 minutes, then serve.
Brenda’s tips:
Brenda prefers to use a large, shallow, flat-bottomed bowl to make yeast dough as it makes kneading easy. Her very favorite bowl comes from this set.
New to kneading? Check out Brenda's HOW TO: Knead Yeast Dough post.
Brenda always recommends allowing any and all yeast baked goods to rest five minutes after baking. If you cut into a loaf prior to the five minutes, the loaf will "steam," causing the interior to clump and an inferior crumb to result. Wait five minutes and the loaf will cut cleanly and have a smooth open crumb.
Need to save some? Enclose in an airtight container or bag and freeze. Even if you're serving only 24 hours after baking. To thaw, remove from freezer about 1-2 hours prior to serving.
Proof means to allow the yeast to work (aka let the dough rise)
Yeast is a living organism. In order for yeast to cause the dough to rise, you must respect the ingredient and not kill the yeast early by:
burning it: too hot water
smothering it: butter/oil direct on yeast that hasn't yet bloomed will coat the yeast
poisoning it: salt added directly to yeast that hasn't bloomed
Window to B’s kitchen…
HOW TO: Form Cinnamon Rolls
Learn how to turn Brenda's Favorite Dough recipe into scrumptious Cinnamon Rolls.
HOW TO: Form Cinnamon Rolls
Prepare a large, clean surface by sprinkling with flour. You can use a rolling mat. Brenda’s preference is to use a large canvas cloth mat or a large silicon mat.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough in a large rectangle shape about 1/2 inch thick. A true or close to true rectangle will result in uniform finished rolls. For large rolls, the rectangle should be approximately 24" x 18” from a single batch of dough.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Spread the melted butter evenly over the rectangle of dough using a rubber spatula, being sure to get all the way to the edge.
Top with a layer of brown sugar. Drop handfuls on and then sweep the sugar by hand to spread it out, resulting in a continuous layer over the full surface. Light brown sugar recommended.
Sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Start at one corner and sprinkle back and forth until reaching the opposite corner, then go back and fill in any "light" spots.
(Optional) Add chopped walnuts and/or raisins.
Using your hands and starting at a convenient corner of the dough, lightly flip the edge up and over, continuing this motion the full 24” length of your rectangle. Once you reach the other end, reverse direction and roll the flipped edge under. As you go back and forth along the edge of the dough, your hands will quickly turn the rectangle of dough into a 24” long tube. To prevent the centers from "popping" when baking, be careful not to stretch the dough while rolling it up, simply coax it into a tube as if the dough were not elastic.
Mark the dough using a serrated knife to score the spot where it will be cut. Brenda uses a ruler for precise 2” tall rolls. To estimate 12 equal rolls, mark half, then half of each half, and then thirds of each quarter - 11 marks that result in 12 spirals when cut.
Use non-flavored dental floss (or a length of thread) to cut into individual rolls. Slide the floss under the long tube of dough to the first mark. Bring the two ends up over the top, cross, and pull tightly together - the dough will cut into a perfect swirl.
Place the rolls on a greased baking sheet. Brenda uses a roaster pan that is about 16" x 12" x 2.25" in order to make 2” tall cinnamon rolls stay within the pan and not hang over the edge. Brenda puts 12 rolls (4 rows of 3) in that pan, carefully placed so that each has maximum space to expand to their baked size of 4" square. If you don't have access to a similar pan, Brenda suggests a sheet pan with 2" sides or use a regular 13" x 9" as they generally have 2" sides.
Let rise for 40-50 minutes or until fingerprint stays. Bake 350F for 25-30 minutes. Cool. Frost. Eat.
Recommended Frosting: Cream Cheese Frosting
Dough Recipe: Brenda’s Favorite Dough Recipe
Window to B’s Kitchen…
1. Flour the surface
2. Roll dough into a large rectangle
3. Spread the melted butter
4. Cover with a layer of brown sugar
5. Sprinkle with cinnamon
6. Roll into a long tube
7. Score the dough with a sharp knife
8. Cut with unflavored dental floss (or strong thread)
. . . . resulting in a beautiful swirl
9. Cut rolls and space evenly in the baking dish
10. Let rest 40-50 minutes then bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes
Brenda's Favorite Yeast Dough
Brenda uses this dough recipe for donuts, scones, cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls…any type of roll.
Brenda uses this dough recipe for:
bread
…anything that needs dough!
If you’re new to kneading, check out Brenda's HOW TO: Knead Yeast Dough post.
Brenda’s Favorite Dough Recipe
To a large mixing bowl, add:
2 cups warm water
4 tsp yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup potato flakes
2 1/4 cups flour
Stir until combined, then mix each in individually:
4 Tbsp butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
Dough should be somewhat “shaggy” indicating that it’s thickened enough to knead. Clean spoon and begin to knead, sprinkling in:
1 Tbsp increments flour, totaling 1/4-1/2 cup
Knead for about 10 minutes or until dough “blisters” and is soft and elastic.
Let rise 45 minutes.
Shape.
Proof 45 minutes.
Cook.
Let sit 5 minutes, then serve.
Brenda’s tips:
Brenda prefers to use a large, shallow, flat-bottomed bowl to make yeast dough as it makes kneading easy. Her very favorite bowl comes from this set.
New to kneading? Check out Brenda's HOW TO: Knead Yeast Dough post.
Brenda always recommends allowing any and all yeast baked goods to rest five minutes after baking. If you cut into a loaf prior to the five minutes, the loaf will "steam," causing the interior to clump and an inferior crumb to result. Wait five minutes and the loaf will cut cleanly and have a smooth open crumb.
Need to save some? Enclose in an airtight container or bag and freeze. Even if you're serving only 24 hours after baking. To thaw, remove from freezer about 1-2 hours prior to serving.
Proof means to allow the yeast to work (aka let the dough rise)
Yeast is a living organism. In order for yeast to cause the dough to rise, you must respect the ingredient and not kill the yeast early by:
burning it: too hot water
smothering it: butter/oil direct on yeast that hasn't yet bloomed will coat the yeast
poisoning it: salt added directly to yeast that hasn't bloomed