ORANGE ROLLS: A Baking First for Me

Orange Rolls
I got this recipe off of pinterest by a fabulous contributor by the name of Lisa Poulsen. http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2009/04/conference-brunch-orange-rolls.html Pictures are worth a thousand words...and I liked the pictures of her rolls :) I've never worked with yeast, and it seems a little intimidating to me, but I wanted the rolls more than I didn't want to work with yeast! So I went gangbusters yesterday and decided if I was going to make the effort and chain myself to the kitchen for a big production--I'd make twice the amount--so there would be enough to share after my crew dug into them. They turned out wonderful. [I'm still in a little awe that they were so light and fluffy--because I wasn't too sure what "not sticky" anymore really meant...not having any experience with real live dough!] And I wasn't quite sure how thin to roll the dough out to...but it said "crescent"....and so I went to the thickness of a Pillsbury crescent roll. The buttery sugar and orange juice mixture was oozing out of the dough before it started to rise too. I guess that's normal.



Rolls:
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
3 teaspoons salt
6 cups flour
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons (2 packages) yeast
1/2 cup warm water
Filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) soft butter
1 cup granulated sugar
grated peel of one orange
Glaze:
Mix together 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and juice of one orange
(I juiced the orange and then added the sugar to the taste and consistency I liked. I had to made more...and just used orange juice as well.)

Stir milk, sugar, oil, and salt until sugar is completely dissolved. Add 2 cups of the flour and beat well. Add 2 eggs and stir in. Dissolve the 2 T. yeast in a 1/2 c. warm water and add to flour mixture. Mix in the remaining 4 cups of flour. Put some flour on a pastry board or counter and knead until dough is smooth and not sticky (more flour may be added if sticky). Put dough into greased bowl and let rise until double (about an hour) in a warm place. Divide dough into 6 parts and roll each into a circle. Spread with 1/6 of the filling mixture and cut into 8 wedges. Roll each into a crescent shape. Cover and let rise at least 1 hour in a warm place. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Do not overcook! Pour on glaze when rolls are still warm.



They were a little time consuming...five hours or so. I did make dinner and get the dishes loaded while I was waiting for the dough to double in size. We started a movie for FHE (The Hiding Place--the Corrie Ten Boom story...which I highly recommend). And by the time the movie was done...it was time for warm rolls. Perfect way to spend an evening with the family.