Orange Rolls

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Make the dough: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the brown sugar in a small bowl and zest the orange directly over it. Gently rub the zest into the sugar and transfer 2 tablespoons/25 grams to a large bowl to use for the dough. Save the rest of the orange sugar for the filling.

2. Step 2

   Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the large bowl and whisk well. Add the butter and cream cheese, and smash and rub them into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until they’re fully incorporated and the mixture resembles crumbs.

3. Step 3

   Add the milk all at once and stir gently with a fork until the dough comes together and no dry bits remain. Freeze while you prepare the pan and filling. Very generously butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan or ovenproof skillet.

4. Step 4

   Make the filling: Mix the cinnamon (and cardamom, if using) into the reserved orange sugar.

5. Step 5

   Scrape the dough onto a well-floured work surface. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough or flour your hands to pat the dough into a 12-by-5-inch rectangle. It may be sticky, but that’s OK. Just flour the dough enough to be able to shape it.

6. Step 6

   To fill the dough, spread the very soft butter evenly over the surface, then sprinkle the orange sugar on top. Starting with one long side of the dough, roll it up into a 12-inch-long log. If it’s stuck to the surface, scrape it up as you roll it using a bench scraper or stiff spatula.

7. Step 7

   Use a serrated knife to cut the log with a sawing motion into 8 (1½-inch-thick) slices. Place a slice in the center of the pan, then space the remaining slices ½-inch apart around it. At this point, the rolls can be covered and chilled for up to 2 days before baking directly from the refrigerator.

8. Step 8

   Bake until golden on top, 23 to 25 minutes. You don’t want to overbake, but also want the dough to be cooked through. When you press the top, the roll shouldn’t sink but spring back just a little.

9. Step 9

   If you’d like to glaze the rolls, make the glaze while the rolls bake: Place the cream cheese then the confectioners’ sugar in a bowl. Zest the orange directly over the sugar, then mix and smush together until smooth. Squeeze in 2 tablespoons orange juice and mix well. The glaze should be a bit thick because it will loosen when it hits the hot rolls. Taste and add more confectioners’ sugar if you’d like. Stir in more juice if it’s too stiff.

10. Step 10

    Let the rolls cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then spread the glaze all over them. Cool a bit longer to serve hot or warm.