Mary Virginia’s Orange Sweet Rolls

Dessert

Ingredients

1 cup Boiling water

1 cup Shortening (or 2 sticks of butter)

1 cup Sugar

1 1 /2 tsp Salt

2 Eggs (large)

2 Tbl Yeast (2 packages)

1 cup Warm water

Dash Sugar

6 cups Flour

1 stick Butter

1 1 /4 cup Granulated sugar

1 1 /2 Tbl Cinnamon

1 lb Confectioner’s sugar

Grated rind of two navel oranges

Enough orange juice to make a glaze

Instructions

Pour water over shortening, sugar and salt. Blend and let cool. Add eggs and beat well. Let yeast stand in water with a dash of sugar until bubbly.

Add yeast mixture to shortening mixture when it is absolutely cool. Then beat in the flour. Cover and refrigerate three to four hours.

Preheat oven to 350

Using melted butter, grease six aluminum-foil lined nine-inch cake pans.

Roll out dough into a large rectangle (1 foot by 3 feet). Sprinkle with granulated sugar and cinnamon.

Roll up dough, jellyroll style, from the long side. Cut 3 /4-inch thick and place into prepared cake pans. Let rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour).

Bake for 15 minutes.

Make a glaze using confectioner’s sugar, orange rind and orange juice. Ice rolls while they are hot. These rolls freeze well in zip-loc bags, but if you are like me, they won’t last long enough to make it to the freezer. Yield: Not enough

Recent Recipes

Bayou Bacon & Cheddar Spread

I can lay waste to a block of cream cheese with pepper jelly and crackers in a matter of minutes. It’s a weakness. No matter how hard I try to exercise self-control, I always find myself standing over the plate at a cocktail party, making it disappear without even thinking. This spread hits the same notes, but with a smoky, savory punch that’s hard to beat. It’s become a go-to for Christmas parties, and if you’re smart, you’ll double the recipe because it’ll be gone before you know it. It’s best when made a day in advance—giving all the flavors time to mingle.

Orange and Bourbon Glazed Duck for Drew

My brother Drew and I were always wound up on Christmas Eve. He was four years older, but you’d never know it by how excited we both were. He’d be bouncing off the walls, too keyed up to sleep, while I’d follow his lead like I always did. When we finally did drift off, it wouldn’t be long before he’d shake me awake before dawn, eyes shining like he hadn’t slept a wink. Those early mornings felt like magic. Now, Christmas means he’s usually out duck hunting in the Delta, his favorite place on earth. He loves the hunt and the calm that comes with being out in the field before the sun rises. I thought of him when I put together this recipe. It’s a little bit of Drew—those wild December mornings in the Delta and the quiet way he’s always looked out for me.

Honey Bundt Cake

This bundt cake brings back memories of family gatherings on Bellewood Drive where sweets were as much a part of the celebration as the presents under the tree. The warm notes of cinnamon and honey make it a natural fit for holiday mornings or as the perfect finish to a Christmas feast. The pomegranate glaze adds a bright, tart finish that keeps things interesting. Make sure to grease every nook and cranny of your bundt pan thoroughly. Use butter and dust with flour for a clean release. Also, letting the cake cool for a solid twenty minutes before flipping is key to avoiding a sticky mess.

RobertStJohn.com