Orange Sweet Rolls

"Try not thinking of peeling an orange. Try not imagining the juice running down your fingers, the soft inner part of the peel. The smell. Try and you can't. The brain doesn't process negatives." 

~ Doug Coupland 

I find the smell that the flesh of an orange releases as you break into it is one of the most intoxicating on the planet.  I clean my house with orange oil, and my favorite candle scent was orange clove tea until it was discontinued.   This season, I was happy to notice that Yankee Candle started selling a candle called Spiced Orange, which I promptly purchased.  

Flipping through The California Heritage Cookbook this morning I noticed a page was marked with a coupon that expired in 2002.  Apparently this recipe caught my eye years ago, but I never got around to trying it....until today.  The first thing I did was take a couple oranges to my micro-planer to extract some orange zest for the recipe.  The scent flew to my nose and then filled the whole house.  It made me think of that ride in Epcot called Soarin, which takes riders on a simulated hang-gliding adventure over California.  It makes you experience the feeling of flight as you fly over California's most beautiful settings, including an orange grove, where they also secretly release orange fragrance that makes you really imagine you're there.  

These rolls were very moist and deliciously, fragrantly orange infused.  They go equally well with coffee or hot cocoa and would be a great  morning treat for those overnight guests you might have over the holidays!  Make them the day before and warm them up in the morning. 

Orange Sweet Rolls

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 1/2 cups flour

3 tablespoons grated orange rind

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Sour Cream Orange Glaze

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1/2 cup butter

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water.  With an electric mixer, beat 1/4 cup of the sugar, the salt, eggs, 1/2 cup sour cream and 6 tablespoons of the melted butter into the yeast mixture.  Gradually add 2 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture, beating until smooth.  Knead the remaining flour into the dough.  Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 1 1/2-2 hours.  Punch down dough and turn out on the floured surface.  Divide in half.  Roll each half of the dough into a 12-inch a circle.  Combine 3/4 cup sugar and the orange rind.  Brush each half of the dough with 1 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle each with 1/2 the rind-sugar mixture.  Cut each half into 8 wedges.  Roll the wedges up, starting with the wide end, and place them point side down in two rows in a greased 13x9 inch pan.  Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour.

Brush the tops of the rolls with the last 3 tablespoons melted butter and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Pour Sour Cream Orange Glaze over the rolls.  Serve warm.

To prepare glaze, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup sour cream, 3 tablespoons orange juice, and 1/2 cup butter in a medium saucepan.  Boil, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes.