Food for Comfort: Orange Rolls

Do you ever have one of those days or weeks when life just hits hard?  This weekend was like that for me.  I knew it would be busy.  I had everything planned, including what homework I would finish and when, who would be coming over for meals, what I would cook, household tasks, and more.  Let's just say I was ambitious.  And before my weekend barely began, my plans were knocked out from under me.  I know that times like this happen for a purpose; still, days and weeks like this are hard, frustrating, overly emotional. 

I am thankful for my husband, my family, and my friends who encourage me and remind me to find true and lasting comfort in God, especially in the midst of suffering.  What a great and awesome truth! 

While I look to God as I embark on this next week (with the ever growing to-do list, a bit of exhaustion, and added emotion), there is always something comforting about good food, even if only momentarily.  While the spinach quiche, fresh fruit, and sausage that we enjoyed for brunch today were good, I could eat the whole pan of these orange rolls.  I'm quite certain that eating the entirety would give me great momentary comfort; however, one or two will suffice. 

Orange Rolls

For the rolls:

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (.25 oz package)
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
3 3/4 cups bread flour
 
For the filling:
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
zest of two oranges
 
For the glaze:
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
juice of 1/2 orange
1/8 teaspoon salt
 
In a small saucepan, heat the milk and water until the mixture reaches 120 degrees.  Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Add the sugar and yeast, stir once, and let sit until the mixture bubbles (around 10 minutes). 
 
With the mixer on medium low speed, add the egg, butter, salt and flour.  Increase the speed to medium for 8 minutes.  The dough will be slightly sticky. 
 
Grease a medium metal bowl.  Add the dough, and turn to coat the top.  Cover with a towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for one hour.  After the first rise, deflate the dough, and cover again with the towel while you mix together the filling ingredients. 
 
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 25 x 6 inch rectangle (you may want to split this into two 13 x 6 inch rectangles). Spread with the filling mixture.  Roll up the dough and pinch together.  Slice into 24 one inch slices and place on a baking sheet.  Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.  Alternately, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes.

Let the refrigerated rolls sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 350°.  Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the tops of the rolls begin to brown.  While the rolls bake, whisk together the icing ingredients until smooth.  Remove the rolls from the oven and top with the icing.

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