Orange and Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls
Some Festive Treats to Make for Christmas Morning…
Something about this Christmas season has made me want to start some new traditions. Along with forcing my husband into matching PJs on Christmas Eve, I’ve also decided that the evening before, I’m going to make up some orange and cranberry cinnamon rolls ready for the morning. I’ve talked about a cinnamon roll recipe before. This one is very similar (at least in the dough and filling) with a few extras to bring in that Christmas taste. Orange and cranberry is a classic and adds a nice sweetness to the rolls.
The best thing about these orange and cranberry cinnamon rolls is you can easily make them the day before (let the dough rise in the afternoon while you’re pottering about). Then, either keep them in the fridge to stop the rise once they are made into their swirls and bake fresh on Christmas Day. Or, you can bake them, leave them to cool overnight and gently warm them up the next day.
Christmas breakfast is different for everyone, but these will be perfect to snack on while presents are being open. Perfect to pair with a coffee or a lovely glass of bubbles…
INGREDIENTS.
DOUGH.
1 1/2 milk
2-3 cups plain flour
50g butter softened
1 packet of yeast
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
FILLING.
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup caster sugar
zest of an orange
1 tbsp cinnamon
dried cranberries
FROSTING.
1- 2 cups of icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
juice of an orange
ORANGE AND CRANBERRY CINNAMON ROLLS.
For your dough, heat the milk and butter in a saucepan until it starts to bubble. Remove from the heat and the butter, stirring until melted. Leave to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour with the yeast and sugar, mixing together. Add the egg and mix. Slowly, add in a little of your milk mixture, combining each time. Your dough should be sticky but not unmanageable. Add a little more flour if needed.
Turn your dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Round the dough into a bowl and place back into a clean bowl. Lightly oil some clingfilm and cover the bowl, along with a tea towel on top. Leave to rise for an hour and a half in a dark warm place.
PUTTING IT ALTOGETHER.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, add your sugars, cinnamon and orange zest and mix well. Put to one side once you’re ready to make them up.
Once you’ve given the dough enough time to rise, on a floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle, using your dish as a guide. Add the filling to your dough, spreading out to the edges. Scatter the dried cranberries across the dough, making sure to be even.
Using a knife, cut into equal-sized rolls. Ideally, you want these to be big rolls, so I would say nine is the perfect amount (this is how much the recipe will make). However, depending on the size of your family, you can make bigger or smaller ones. Place in a pre-heated oven (200 C) for 25- 30 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool on the side.
For the frosting, mix the icing sugar, vanilla and orange juice together until smooth. You want the frosting to be thick and spreadable, so add more sugar or juice if needed. Once the cinnamon rolls have cooled, spread the frosting on top. Ideally, serve slightly warm with a good cup of coffee (a few minutes in the oven will do just nicely).
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