Dough:
¾ cup warm orange juice
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
3 to 3½ cups all-purpose flour (I used 1/2 c wheat flour as part of this)
Filling:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Orange Icing:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 to 2 tablespoons orange juice
Directions:
Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine warm orange juice and yeast; stir and let sit until yeast is dissolved, about 10 minutes. Add sugar, egg, melted butter, salt, and orange zest; beat until mixture is smooth. Add 2 cups flour; stir until well mixed. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board; knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, adding additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time if dough is too sticky.
Place dough in a well greased bowl; turn dough over once to grease the top. Cover bowl with a small kitchen towel and let dough rise is a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
Prepare one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening.
Punch dough down then turn onto a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board; knead dough briefly, 4 to 5 times. Roll the dough into an 18 inch by 9 inch rectangle.
Filling:
Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the dough with melted butter to within ½ inch of the edges.
In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle sugar cinnamon mixture evenly over buttered dough to within ½ inch of the edges. Roll-up dough jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch the seams together to seal. Slice dough into 1½ inch pieces and place about ½ inch apart in baking pan.
Cover and let rolls rise is a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Bake:
Bake rolls 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove rolls from oven. Place pan on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Orange Icing:
In a small bowl, combine confectioners sugar, butter, vanilla, orange zest, and enough orange juice to make a good spreading consistency. Spread icing onto still warm rolls.
Makes 12 rolls.
