Recipe: Rosemary Citrus Sunshine Rolls
Good morning! Tuna (our cat) woke me up early this weekend morning by attacking my head. My silver lining is a quiet, early, weekend morning to finally get back to writing. I realize it’s been a bit and a lot of life has happened- perhaps another post to catch up soon. In the meantime, prior to us sitting down for a virtual chat about how life has been, I’d say you could use a coffee in hand and maybe some Rosemary Citrus Sunshine Rolls too.
I created this recipe back in May- and I still have my selfie photos with the first baked good recipe I’d done entirely by myself- and it worked out! Do you ever notice that mental wall come up too? Maybe it’s around creativity, or something you’d really love to do, but can’t seem to just put pen to paper and give it a try. I so value creativity, and I notice for me, sometimes my “but I don’t know how to do this” brain gets a lot louder than the one that says “let’s explore and give it a try.” I reminded myself the win wasn’t in how the rolls turned out. Rather, it was act of actually getting creative, exploring my thoughts and ideas, and taking notes of what happened. Maybe it was taking the pressure away of having to get something right that allowed these rolls to turn out. Around that time, I believe I’d had a lemon rosemary roll from Koffeteria at Tenfold Coffee in Houston, and have always adored the orange rolls from Southern Living. I imagine my recipe was inspired by these sweet treats that I’d encourage you to try out.
To me, the way we eat can so easily connect to our mood and emotions. Citrus has such a bright, zesty, “sun just came up in the morning” liveliness to it. Rosemary has the herbal elements that take me out to the garden in one bite. Combined with brown sugar, butter, and freshly baked dough, it ties in a warmth and comfort that is so perfectly balanced with the light and bright. If you might be feeling the sunshine right now, or maybe need a little more of it, I hope you’ll give them a try! As you bake, spend time smelling the ingredients you’re using. Be mindful of your time while you wait for the rolls to rise- what could you be needing in that little gap in the day? And I hope you enjoy your first, warm bites fresh out of the oven. From my kitchen to yours.
Rosemary Citrus Sunshine Rolls
Ingredients:
Dough-
1/2 cup room tempertaure butter
1/2 cup sugar + 1 tsp
1/2 cup water 100-110 degrees
2 1/2 Tsp Active Dry Yeast- 1 packet
1 tsp + 2 pinches of salt
2 egg at room temperature
Fresh Rosemary- a few sprigs, finely chopped
1 lemon
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp olive oil
4 1/2 cup flour
Filling-
2 sprigs rosemary
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
Small dash of orange extract
6 tablespoons softened/room temperature butter
flour for rolling out dough
Steps:
Combine the yeast in the warm water. with a tsp of sugar. Give a light stir if necessary. Wait for the yeast to begin to foam and rise- about 15 min. It’s important your water is the right temperature! Too cold won’t activate, and too hot will kill the yeast.
Meanwhile, beat the butter in an electric mixer until fluffy- about a minute or two.
Add 1/2 cup sugar until combined.
Separate the egg yolks from the whites- (Ina garten does this so well, or you can youtube a video if you’d like help separating). Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl. With the mixer on med/low, add to butter.
Add the sprig of chopped rosemary to the mixer until combined.
Whist the egg whites in a separate bowl until frothy. With the mixer on high, add the yolks until combined.
Return the mixer to med/low, and squeeze the juice of the lemon into the mixture, being mindful of seeds not joining the party. Grate some of the lemon zest into the mixture.
Add 1/2 cup whole milk to the mixture until combined.
While on low speed, gradually add the yeast water. Use a spatula to add any of the “foam” that may stick to the side of the cup.
Add 1 tsp olive oil.
In a separate bowl, mix 4 1/2 cup flour with 1 tsp of salt. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour/salt to the mixture. Once fully combined in the mixer, use your hands to gently knead the dough for several minutes. Don’t overwork it- if the dough begins to feel tough/really starts to push back, it’s time to stop. Lightly coat a medium mixing bowl with olive oil. Add the ball of dough, cover with wrap, and let rise in a warm place for around 3 1/2 hours.
Near the end of the 3 1/2 hours, you can prepare your filling. Chop the leaves of two sprigs of rosemary into fine pieces. Set aside. Note: this is also a place where you can listen to what you like- love herbal flavors? Add more of the rosemary to really bring it forward!
Once the dough has risen to fill out the bowl, flour a clean, large work surface lightly to avoid sticking. roll out the dough to roughly 24 inches in length, and and 13-14 inch wide.
Spread the softened butter across the entire rectangle. We all know the goodness of butter, so you want to make sure there’s a layer of it across all of the dough. This will also help your filling to stay snug in its place.
Mix the sugar and brown sugar together in a separate bowl. Add a dash of orange extract. Again, this is a place where you can add a bit more to really bring that citrus flavor forward. Just be mindful, as with vanilla extract, that a little bit goes a long way. Sprinkle the sugar mixture across the butter, covering the entire surface. Add the chopped rosemary and lightly press to insure it’s secure.
Moving slowly, gently begin to roll the dough into a log. You’ll want the log to be 24 inches long, so you’re in a sense rolling up the width of the rectangle. No need to have this be too tight- move gently to help the dough keep its shape, but not too tight that it won’t be able to rise.
Once in a log, using a tape measure or eyeballing it, cut into individual rolls using a sharp knife. Lightly butter two round pans, such as a glass or ceramic pie pan. Prior to placing the rolls in, place your thumb on the center of the bottom side of the roll, and gently push the center of the roll up just a bit toward the top. Place the rolls in a circular pattern, with just a bit of space in between one another.
Cover and let rise/fill out- around an hour or so.
Preheat oven to 400, and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let sit several minutes to reabsorb all that good brown sugar sweetness.
I hope these rolls bring a bit of sunshine, the garden, and a little bit of warmth to your day.
Tay