Welcome to Episode Two of “Baking at Home” - Orange Sweet Rolls
Bakers - these are difficult times - I hope you are well. Let’s bake through this.
Today’s bake revolves around what I had at home - oranges left over from mothballing the kitchen at Sur La Table - butter, sugar and all purpose flour.
Speaking of Sur La Table - I used as a base recipe for my dough - one we used in a lovely bread class called Artisan Decorative Bread. I remembered this basic sweet dough as being easy and not using a ton of butter or sugar - so I tailored it to fit today’s bake. It uses one pound of flour, one egg and not too much sugar - the fat is vegetable oil but if you have butter or shortening you can sub that. I am being careful with my butter supply and taking no ingredient for granted.
I used to be such a sugar snob, not anymore. I was almost out when the crisis hit - luckily I found 4 pounds at the 99 cents store. I took one bag. There were more but I stopped.
Bakers please don’t hoard ingredients - buy what you need the supplies are there and they are coming. Have faith - what you leave - may just be the salvation of another baker.
I am now off my soap box - find an orange or pick one off your tree if you have one and bake - this delicious breakfast treats use only one!
Post photos here or tag me on social - what are you baking at home?
Orange Sweet Rolls
Prep notes: You have two options with these, make the base dough the night before. Let bulk ferment (rise for 1 hour at room temperature, covered) then refrigerate overnight or let rise 1 hour and shape. Detailed instructions are below for both methods.
Equipment: stand mixer fitted with the dough hook or dough whisk and large bowl, bowl scraper, spatula, scale, teaspoons. lightly oiled bowl for bulk fermentation - mixer bowl can also be used.
Ingredients:
10 ounces milk (283g)
2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil, I used grape seed, softened or melted butter can also be used.
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
16 ounces (454g) all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons , 1 ounce (28g) sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1/4 orange
Mixing the dough.
In the stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine milk heated to 70 degrees in microwave or quickly on the stove and the yeast. Stir for 10 seconds. Let sit five minutes.
Add oil, egg, vanilla extract, flour, sugar, salt and orange zest. Mix on low speed to combine, increase speed to speed 2 and mix for 5 minutes.
Knead briefly by hand for 30-45 seconds to smooth out the dough and give it some of your good baker’s energy.
Place in a very lightly oiled bowl, turn over so that the top of the dough is lightly greased, ***this helps it not form a skin or stick to whatever is covering it. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours until it doubles in size.
Gently degas the dough, and (Option 1) refrigerate overnight.
In the morning take it out of the refrigerate, first thing, and let it warm up for a few hours.
(Option two) is to shape the dough and let it proof slowly overnight in the refrigerator. If using this option, starter with step 8 - you can make the orange butter the night before and leave it out, covered at room temperature, overnight.
After step 4 is complete, roll the dough out to a 12” x 8” square and spread (leaving 1/2” of long top edge free) with orange butter,
Roll up not too tight, not too loose. Pinch long seam closed.
Cut into 1 1/4” slices using kitchen twine or dental floss, place in prepared pan or on baking sheet, cover and let proof slowly in the refrigerator overnight.
In the morning, remove from refrigerator and let warm up for one hour. If you have a proofing bag set it up with a cup of boiling water. This will help the dough warm up and expand.
Preheat oven to 350.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until orange rolls are a medium golden brown.
Remove from oven, place on a cooling rack and let cool for ten minutes.
In the meanwhile make orange glaze. After 10 minutes glaze and enjoy. The rolls will keep 24 hours, well wrapped at room temperature. For longer term storage, freeze, thaw and refresh at 350 for 5-7 minutes. Reglaze if necessary.
Orange Butter
4 Tablespoons, 2 ounces, (57g) unsalted butter - room temperature
2 Tablespoons, 1 ounce, (28g) sugar
Zest of 1/2 an orange
Orange Glaze
1 1/2 cups, 6 ounces, (170g) powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons, 1 ounce (28g) orange juice
1 Tablespoon, 1/2 ounce (14g) melted butter
Zest of 1/2 orange
Orange icing made - rolls in proofing bag and oven preheating…
Before baking they should look just like this.