Tangelo Sweet Rolls
It has been a very long time since I lasted posted, and (unsurprisingly) a lot has happened. My husband and I are expecting our first child in October! It is a very exciting time for us, and the first trimester was a roller coaster of nausea for me. Our cooking has been minimal the past few months, as I have been living off of my cravings for Subway sandwiches and mashed potatoes!
I have also been craving citrus fruits way more often than I ever did before! Perhaps I need the calcium? Either way, we found a way to make citrus fruits unhealthy and sugary and delicious- put them in sweet rolls! These are essentially cinnamon rolls with a fruity filling instead of the more traditional nut and spice filling.
Typically these kinds of sweet rolls are made with oranges, but we made them with tangelos (the zest and juice). I preferred the tangelo flavor because it is tangier. Also, the rind is much brighter in color, which makes for great photos when you add in the zest.
The recipe was inspired by an orange roll post from Lemon-Sugar, who uses traditional citrus and no zest. It was super easy to make, even in our small kitchen with no mixer. It is rather time consuming, but these tasty treats make the wait worth it!
Tangelo Sweet Rolls
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 1/4 tablespoons instant yeast
- 1 3/4 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup salted butter melted
- 1/2 cup honey
- 5 1/2 cups AP flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 eggs
For the filling
- 1 tablespoon tangelo zest from 1 tangelo, or sub oranges
- 1/4 cup tangelo juice
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
For the icing
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1/4 cup tangelo juice
- 1 tablespoon tangelo zest
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Make the dough.
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Preheat the oven to 200°F and after it has preheated, turn it off.
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Combine the warm water with the yeast to proof the yeast.
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Let the yeast proof for about ten minutes in the warmed oven, with the door open.
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Whisk together the melted butter and honey. Let cool, and whisk in the eggs.
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Mix the proofed yeast with FOUR cups of flour in a large bowl. Add in the salt and mix.
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Add the honey mixture to the large bowl. Fold it all together gently with a rubber spatula. Dough should form one large mass, and be sticky to the touch, but not come off on your finger. Add more flour if needed, 1/2 cup at a time.
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Grease the bowl and put the dough inside. Cover in plastic wrap and let rest in the oven or recently run dryer for 1 hour.
Make the filling.
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Wash and zest a tangelo. Place zest in medium sized bowl.
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Juice the tangelo. Pour 1/4 cup of the juice into the bowl through a strainer.
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Add the sugar and softened butter. Stir together until it comes together into a paste.
Roll out dough.
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When the dough is done rising, cover a large work surface in parchment paper and flour.
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Punch down the dough and roll carefully into a large rectangle, 1/2" thick.
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Drop spoonfuls of filling across the dough and spread carefully with a spoon or hands.Everything will be sticky and this step will take patience!
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When the rectangle of dough is covered evenly in the filling, roll the dough in on itself to create a log. Be sure to keep the dough tight. [See pictures below.]
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Cut the cylinder into 24 circles.
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Butter two large casserole dishes or pie pans, and place rolls inside. They should all be touching.
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Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Bake and make icing.
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Preheat your oven to 375°F.
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Bake the rolls for roughly 25 minutes, in the center or lower half of the oven.
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Whisk together orange extract, tangelo juice, and zest. Whisk in the powdered sugar and cream. Thin icing to desired consistency by adding additional cream, one tablespoon at a time.
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Glaze rolls generously with icing while they are hot from the oven.
Recipe Notes
*Be careful when rolling out dough to ensure there are no holes.
**Watch the rolls as they are baking and cover with tin foil if tops are browning too quickly.
