Cardamom Orange Morning Rolls with Orange Blossom Cream Cheese Frosting
I’ve had the idea for this recipe floating around in my head for a while now. I definitely have a bad case of wanderlust and it’s evident in my recipe inspiration lately. I have never been to Sweden but there are already so many things I love about it. The clean, modern interior design and style trends for one but also their approach to food. Especially cozy, sweet pastries. They actually have a whole idea dedicated around slowing down sometime in your day to have a cup of coffee, perhaps something sweet, and having a little break, either by yourself or with friends. This concept is called Fika and I think we should adopt it here in the States. Why don’t we have cool things like this? Let’s do it!
One of the most iconic Swedish pastries, perhaps are Swedish cardamom rolls or kardemummabullar which are so, so good but those little twisted buns can be a bit intimidating so I wanted to take the same flavor profile and apply it to a classic cinnamon roll, with my own twist, if you’ll pardon the pun (Come Fly With Me, anyone?) . Cardamom and orange are one of my very favorite pairings so I added some orange zest and it is heavenly. That got me thinking about orange blossom water and turns out just a hint is absolutely delicious in the thick and tangy cream cheese frosting. I used Erin McDowell’s genius recipe and method for the enriched dough here, with a few little tweaks and it’s a very easy dough to make and work with! You’re gonna mix it up the night before you make these and let the dough have a slow rise in the fridge overnight. This lets the flavor in the dough really develop but it also makes the dough infinitely easier to roll out in the morning because it’s cold. And it makes the process of baking fresh rolls in the morning much faster so these are perfect for a fun holiday brunch, a simple Fika treat, or Christmas morning! And just as a nod to the classic Swedish roll, I added a gratuitous sprinkle of Swedish pearl sugar atop the rolls for a little something extra and a little crunch but it’s totally optional! The result are fluffy, soft and pillowy rolls perfumed with sweet and warm cozy spices and a hint of citrus and floral to balance everything out. And when they’re baking, your house will smell of Ikea and I kinda like that. I hope you give these a try and please let me know if you do! I love seeing your creations so don’t forget to use #allpurposeflourchild and tag me @all.purpose.flour.child so I can see! Merry Christmas, everyone!
Cardamom Orange Morning Rolls with Orange Blossom Cream Cheese Frosting
makes 12 rolls
dough
4 1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c organic granulated cane sugar
1 T active-dry yeast
1 T Himalayan pink salt
4 large eggs and 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
3/4 c whole milk, heated to 110 °F
1 c unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature, plus more for greasing bowl
filling
1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 T ground cardamom
zest of 1 large orange
pinch of Himalayan pink salt
icing
4 T unsalted butter (1/2 a stick), room temperature
4 T cream cheese (2 oz), room temperature
2 c powdered sugar
1-2 T milk or cream, room temperature
1 t orange blossom water
1 t vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
pinch of Himalayan pink salt
pearl sugar, for sprinkling on top (optional)
make the dough
Add the warm milk to the bowl of a stand mixer and add in the yeast and about a tablespoon of the sugar. Let stand for about 5 minutes, until yeast is foamy and bubbly. Add in the rest of the sugar, eggs, flour, and salt and with the mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix on low until all the flour has been incorporated then turn the speed up to medium-high and continue to mix until the dough is a smooth and tacky, about 5 minutes. We really want to get the gluten starting to develop here so really let it go for that long. Then with the mixer still running, add in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing it to fully incorporate before adding another tablespoon. This will take about 3 minutes or so so be patient. The dough should be smooth, soft, and elastic when you’re finished but it will be quite a sticky dough and that’s ok! Transfer dough to a large bowl that’s been lightly greased with softened butter. Pro tip: grease your fingers a little too to help coax the dough out of the mixer bowl more easily. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
form the rolls
The next morning, make the filling by mixing together the butter, brown sugar, cardamom, orange zest and salt until a smooth paste forms. Set aside. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and set aside. Roll dough out onto a well-floured work surface into a large rectangle about 1/2 an inch thick. It should be about 12 x 18 inches but it doesn’t have to be exact. Try to work quickly here to avoid letting the dough get too warm as it rolls up and slices more easily if it’s slightly cool still. Using an offset spatula, spread the filling evenly from edge to edge, so that the entire surface of the dough is covered. With the longest end of the rectangle facing you, roll up the dough in a fairly tight and even spiral. If you feel like the dough is a little too soft and warm to slice at this point, you can pop the log onto a baking tray and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm it up. With the seam-side facing down, slice the log into 12 equal slices, about 1 1/2 inches long each. Arrange the rolls into the buttered baking dish, leaving about 1/4-1/2 inch of space in between each. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, until almost doubled in size. While the rolls are rising, preheat oven to 375 °F. Bake the rolls for about 30-35 minutes, until puffed and golden. Allow to cool slightly while you put the frosting together.
frost the rolls
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together until combined and smooth. Add in the powdered sugar, salt, and 1 tablespoon of cream and mix on low until powdered sugar disappears then turn the mixer up to medium-high and whip it for about a minute, until fluffy and creamy. If it seems a little too thick still, add in another tablespoon of cream. Add in the vanilla paste and orange blossom water and mix again until combined. Once rolls are done, allow to cool for about 10 minutes then slather the icing on each roll. Sprinkle on pearl sugar if you’d like. Enjoy warm!
dough recipe slightly adapted from Erin McDowell
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