Paper Chef #3: Orange-Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls

Paper Chef is on online "competition" where a list of ingredients is provided on Friday and by Monday entries using the ingredients must be posted and the judge notified of the posting.  For more information on this competition visit the Paper Chef sponsor, Tomatilla.  This month’s judge is The Domestic Goddess. 

This month’s ingredients are wheat flour, cinnamon, crème fraiche and oranges.  While reading this ingredient list the following recipe came to mind.  It’s based on the Cinnamon Sticky Bun recipe that I’ve used many times in the past. 

Here we go!

Orange-Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls

Dough

• 1/4 cup crème fraiche
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup wheat flour
• 1 cup bread flour
• 2 tsp yeast

Filling

• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp fresh orange rind
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional, or substitute raisins)
• 2 Tbsp very soft butter

Glaze

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• Scant 1/4 cup crème fraiche
• 1 Tbsp fresh orange juice

Place all dough ingredients in bread machine in the order listed by the manufacturer.  Set for dough stage and start. 

To plump up cranberries or raisins, place in small bowl and cover with boiling water.  Let sit for 15 minutes, then drain and place on towel to dry. 

In small bowl mix brown sugar, cinnamon and orange peel. 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

When dough is finished, remove from bread machine, place on lightly floured surface, punch down and let rest for 5 minutes.  Roll dough into rectangle 8" wide and 16" long. 

Spread the soft butter over the dough.  Sprinkle with the brown sugar mixture, spreading mixture to the edges of the dough.  Sprinkle cranberries evenly over the dough. 

To make 15 small rolls, tightly roll the dough from the long edge.  Slice into 15 pieces and place in greased 9" x 13" pan.  To make 6 large rolls, tightly roll from short end.  Slice into 6 pieces and place in greased 8" square pan. 

Let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk about 1 1/2 hours.  (Alternatively, place pan covered with plastic wrap in refrigerator overnight.  About 1 hour before baking, remove pan from refrigerator to allow rolls to rise.)

Bake in pre-heated 350°F oven 25 to 30 minutes. 

While the rolls are baking, mix all glaze ingredients until smooth. 

Remove from oven and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.  Spread glaze over rolls.  Serve and enjoy!

Hint:  If you can’t find crème fraiche you can make it be adding 2 Tbsp buttermilk to 1 cup of heavy cream.  Cover and let sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, until mixture is very thick.