Orange Croissant Pinwheel Buns Recipe

 

 



A croissant  got drunk on orange liqueur and had a fling with a cinnamon bun. This is the result of that twisted (and delicious) night.

For the Dough:

1 cup warm water
2 eggs
1 package yeast
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
zest of 2 oranges
4-5 cups of all purpose flour
2 sticks of butter flatted into a sheet and chilled
1/2 stick of softened butter

For Orange Sugar:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
zest of one orange

1) Make orange sugar by blending the sugar and zest in a food processor for 30 seconds. Set aside.

2) Make a sheep of flattened butter by taking too sticks of butter and letting them get only slightly softened by sitting out at room temperature. Hold the two sticks side by side as squeeze them together. They should stick together. Roll them lightly in all purpose flour and place them on a sheet of plastic wrap. Place another sheet of plastic wrap on top and with a rolling pin press the butter block down until you have a sheet about a quarter of an inch thick. Place in the fridge.

3) Make dough: Mix first 7 dough ingredients. Add just enough flour to form a dough that is not too stiff and not too soft. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl and allow to rise until doubled in bulk.

4) Turn dough out onto a counter and roll out into a rectangle about 1/2 in thick. Remove butter sheet from plastic wrap an place on one half of dough (leaving about 1 inch between butter and edge of dough). Fold other half of dough over and seal butter inside by pressing edges. Let dough sit for 10 minutes to butter softens.

5) Roll dough out until it is half its thickness. Fold it in half and roll it out again. Now tri-fold it (fold one edge in and fold other edge over that, pictured below), and roll out again. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let it sit for 15 min so the gluten relaxes (it will get harder to roll if you don't). Now fold it in half and roll out. Let it rest 10 minutes. Then fold it into a tri-fold again and roll out into a rectangle about 1/2 in thick.

6) Spread dough with softened butter and then sprinkle with half of orange sugar. Roll dough up into a log and press to seal seam. Cut into 1 in thick rounds. Place on greased baking sheet (with sides) about 2 in apart. Let them rise until double in size.

7) Bake in a 350°F oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes. While how sprinkle with rest of orange sugar (if you don't like the texture of granulated sugar use a powdered sugar glaze with powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest to drizzle over them).

8) The most important step. Enjoy!