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Culinary SOS: Orange dinner rolls

(Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
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Dear SOS: There is a wonderful orange muffin recipe that is highly guarded at the Morrison Lodge in Oregon on the Rogue River, but I have tried and tried to get a copy. It would be a huge coup to get that orange muffin recipe.

Jane Chambers

Via e-mail

For the record:

12:43 p.m. Dec. 13, 2019The source of this recipe was Elaine Hanten. Her name was misspelled.

Dear Jane: Gently flavored with orange zest and lightly sweetened with sugar, these dinner rolls are shaped like a cinnamon roll and baked in muffin tins, puffed to a rich golden-brown. Morrison’s Lodge was happy to share this recipe with us, originally from Elaine Hanton who, with her husband B.A., purchased the lodge in 1964.

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Orange dinner rolls

Total time: About 1 hour, plus rising time for the dough

Servings: Makes 2 dozen rolls

Note: Adapted from Morrison’s Rogue River Lodge.

Dough

1 cup lukewarm water

1 packet active-dry yeast

3 1/4 cups (13.8 ounces) flour, divided, plus additional for kneading

2 1/2 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup sugar, divided

2 1/2 tablespoons shortening, at room temperature

1 egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons softened butter

3/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

1. In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water, yeast and one-half cup flour, stirring to dissolve. Set aside just until the yeast is activated (the mixture will begin to bubble), 5 to 10 minutes.

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2. While the yeast is activating, combine the remaining flour and 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar in a separate bowl.

3. With a fork (if working by hand), or using a dough hook, work half of the flour/sugar mixture into the activated yeast, then add the shortening and egg until combined. Slowly add in the remaining flour/sugar mixture (the mixture will at first be stringy, then very sticky as the flour is absorbed). Stir in the salt.

4. Move the dough to a floured surface. With floured hands, gently knead the dough (it will be sticky at first) about 5 minutes, adding flour as needed just to keep the dough from sticking to your fingers or the kneading surface. The finished dough will be tender, soft and slightly tacky.

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5. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. On a well-floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle measuring 24 inches by 10 inches.

6. In a small bowl, combine the remaining one-third cup sugar with the orange zest.

7. Brush the dough with the softened butter, then sprinkle over the orange sugar mixture.

8. Roll the rectangle lengthwise into a tight tube (as when rolling cinnamon rolls). Cut the tube into 24 (1-inch) slices, using thread if possible (the thread will slice more easily and cleanly than a knife). Roll the tube one-quarter turn after each slice to keep the tube round; otherwise, it will flatten from all the slicing.

9. Place each of the slices into a well-greased muffin tin (the tins must be well-greased or the finished rolls will stick to the bottom). Cover loosely and set aside until the rolls double in size.

10. Bake the muffin trays 1 at a time, until the rolls are puffed and golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Rotate the trays halfway through for even baking.

11. Cool the rolls slightly, then unmold. Serve warm.

Each roll: 126 calories; 2 grams protein; 22 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 3 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 13 mg. cholesterol; 10 grams sugar; 101 mg. sodium.

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