- 12
- 60 mins
- 90 mins
Ingredients
- For the dough
- 2 and 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- Zest from 1 orange
- 1/2 cup orange juice (preferably fresh juice since you will already have an orange for zesting)
- 1/4 cup caster sugar
- 2 tbsps butter, at room temperature
- 1 tsp salt if using unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- For the filling
- 1/4 cup caster sugar
- 2 tsps cinnamon powder
- 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
Preparation
Step 1
Instructions
In a small bowl, mix the yeast and warm water. Cover and set aside for a few minutes till dissolved and slightly frothy.
To make the dough, first combine the orange juice, zest, sugar, butter, salt (if using) and milk in a large bowl. Mix well. A stand mixer with the dough hook is useful here, but a sturdy bowl and hand mixer, also preferably with a dough hook, is fine too.
Pour in the yeast mixture and beat for a few seconds till everything is well combined. Now add 3 cups of flour and beat on low speed. Gradually add the remaining half cup of flour, a little at a time and continue beating. If you don't use the entire remaining amount, that's fine. You need a dough that is soft and pliable. It might be a little sticky if your kitchen is warm, but do not be tempted to add more than a total of 3 and a half cups of flour.
If using a stand mixer, beat for at least 5 minutes after adding all the flour and a couple more minutes if needed, to bring the dough together. Doing this by hand may take a little longer. Either way, the dough should spring back when poked with a finger, if not entirely, then at least a little. This is the point at which the dough is ready to rise so the poke test is important.
Finally, knead the dough lightly with your hands for a few seconds, till you get the desired texture and 'springing back' action. Kneading by hand is more crucial if not using a stand mixer which does the work for you.
Form the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled, large bowl. Cover with clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm area for 2 to 3 hours, until doubled. If needed, turn your oven on to about 50 C, switch it off, then place the bowl in it.
When the dough is ready, lightly flour your kitchen counter or a silicone mat which is more convenient.
Turn the puffy, risen dough out onto this surface, and punch down lightly to release any air bubbles. Sprinkle a little flour on top and roll it out into a roughly 10x15 rectangle, give or take.
In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. Now spread the butter onto the rolled out dough, making sure it reaches every inch of it. Sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar, covering the dough entirely.
Slowly roll the dough up tightly, flouring your fingertips if needed. Slice into 12 to 16 even pieces.
Place each roll, cut side up in a lightly greased 8x8 baking pan. Leave a little gap between each roll because they're going to rise further and stick to each other. Cover with clingfilm and let rise again for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until puffy.
Preheat the oven to 190 C, then remove the clingfilm from the dish and lightly cover it with aluminium foil. This prevents excessively quick browning.
Bake the covered rolls for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through. The butter will be bubbling away on the surface but will get absorbed.
Allow the rolls to cool slightly, before using a sharp knife to take each one out. Eat warm!
Instructions