Orange-scented Cinnamon Rolls

Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 4 hrs Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing bowl and pan
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup skim milk, plus more as needed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons minced orange zest
• raisins (optional)
• chopped nuts (optional)

Recipe

• 1 combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar in container of food processor fitted with steel blade and process 5 seconds.
• 2 add 2 tablespoons butter and egg, and pulse a few times, until well combined.
• 3 with machine running, drizzle most of milk through feed tube.
• 4 process just until a dough ball forms.
• 5 if necessary, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.
• 6 knead by hand on a lightly floured surface a minute or two longer, adding more flour or milk as necessary, until dough is smooth and elastic.
• 7 butter a bowl and place dough in it, turning to coat.
• 8 cover and let rise in warm, draft-free area, about 2 hours.
• 9 roll out dough into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle.
• 10 brush liberally with melted butter, then spread with a mixture of sugar, cinnamon and orange zest.
• 11 if desired, add raisins or chopped nuts.
• 12 roll up jelly-roll style, then cut into 1- 1 1/2-inch thick slices.
• 13 place rolls in a buttered round pan.
• 14 place one or two rolls in middle, and work the others out around it, so that all are touching.
• 15 cover and let rise until puffy, about 1 hour.
• 16 while rolls are rising, boil together 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup orange juice until thickened.
• 17 just before baking, brush slices lightly with butter, then liberally with this mixture.
• 18 bake in a preheated 400-degreee oven until nicely browned, 20- 30 minutes.