Orange Cardamom Sweet Rolls with Pistachios
Servings: 8 cinnamon rolls
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup orange juice from about 1/2 of an orange
- 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest from 1 orange
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature and cubed
Filling:
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 scant teaspoon cardamom
- Pinch of salt
- 10 pistachios chopped
Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 to 5 tablespoons orange juice from about 1/2 of an orange
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Spray a medium bowl with cooking spray and set aside. To the bowl of a stand-up mixer, with the dough hook attached, add the flour and salt; give it a stir to incorporate the salt.
- In a small saucepan, set over low heat, combine the milk and orange juice; heat until just warm to the touch (110 degrees F). Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the active dry yeast on top of the mixture and allow to sit until it begins to be foamy, about 5 to 7 minutes. (If after 5 minutes, there is still a bit of active dry yeast that hasn’t been incorporated, feel free to whisk it into the mixture.) In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, white sugar and orange zest until smooth. Pour the egg mixture into the yeast mixture and whisk until combined.
- With the mixer running on low, pour in the yeast and egg mixture. At the beginning the dough will be shaggy and you’ll maybe think to yourself that there isn’t enough liquid but just you wait! Next, add the softened butter. It’ll eventually (after around the minute-mark) come together and start to become a cohesive dough. Run the mixer for about 6 to 7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and sticky. Transfer the dough to the prepped medium bowl and cover with a towel until the dough has doubled in size, about an hour and a half.
- In a small bowl, make the filling by mashing together the butter, honey, cinnamon, cardamom and pinch of salt together. Lightly flour your work surface and drop the dough onto it. Roll the dough into a 17 by 12-inch rectangle that’s about 1/8-inch thick. Spread the filling onto the dough, being sure to stop an inch before the edge so the filling doesn’t ooze out when you roll it. Sprinkle the chopped pistachios atop the filling
- Roll the dough toward you, being sure to that’s it’s a little snug. Transfer the large roll to a cutting board and transfer to the freezer to chill for 10 minutes (this will make it easier to slice). Remove it from the freezer and slice 1-inch rolls (I find that using a serrated knife is the best tool for the job). Transfer the rolls a 6-inch baking pan and cover with a towel to rise for the second time, around 1 hour. They’ll rise into each other a bit—this is ok!
- Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F. When the oven is preheated, add the rolls and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden brown. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice, vanilla extract and pinch of salt until smooth. Pour the glaze on top of the warm rolls and serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 8g