Orange Rolls

This recipe was given to me by one of my favorite roommates in college. It was her Grandma Karnely's recipe for dinner rolls or cinnamon rolls. I've always used it for the latter. Just recently, though, I tried it with the Lion House recipe for orange rolls and added part wheat flour. They turned out really nice!

Rolls:
4 T. yeast
1/2 c. water
4 c. scalded milk
1 c. sugar
4 t. salt
1 c. shortening (I use half butter)
4 eggs
12+ c. flour (I used 6 c. wheat, mixed in first)

Raise yeast in warm water with a little sugar. Let milk cool to lukewarm. Add shortening to milk. Then add sugar, salt, eggs, yeast, and 6 cups flour. Beat with mixer. Add other 6 cups and mix/knead to a soft dough. Cover and let rise to double. (Dough should be soft but not sticky.) Shape into rolls. Let rise. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Makes 2+ jelly roll pans.

Orange Filling:
3/4 c. butter, melted
Zest of 3 oranges
6 Tbsp. sugar

Stir together butter and zest. Divide dough in half. Roll one part to rectangle shape about 1/4-inch thick. Brush dough with half of the orange butter and 3 Tbsp. sugar. Cut and roll like cinnamon rolls. Place on greased jelly roll pan. Repeat with 2nd half of dough. Let rise to double. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes (til top is slightly brown). Cool 10 to 15 minutes, drizzle with icing.

Orange Icing:
3 c. powdered sugar
4 Tbsp. orange juice, squeezed from zested oranges
4-8 Tbsp. milk or cream

Mix together. The hotter the rolls are when frosted, the thicker the frosting needs to be (add 1 to 2 tsp. of orange zest, if desired).