A warm spiced roll to brighten up the 800th rainy day this year. # 284: Orange Chai Tea Rolls

All this rain makes me want to curl up like one of these breakfast rolls. They’re warm, soft and yummy and my whole kitchen smells like orange zest. Take THAT, drippy grey sky.

I’ve been craving cinnamon rolls recently, but I seem to have a bit of a curse with making them. Every time I do, I forget something essential (like the time I forgot to add the yeast. . . If you’re ever wondering what Hagrid’s rock cakes would be like, try that.)

Happy to report that this batch was a success! I spiced it up (heh sorry) a little bit with chai rooibos tea in the dough and replaced half the cinnamon in the filling.

Have you heard about the US egg shortage? I found out by walking into Safeway and seeing a gaping hole instead of an egg display case. Yikes.

I’d like to nominate orange zest for best supporting role in this bake.

I ground the loose leaf tea to help disperse its yumminess more evenly through the dough.

Part of the magic of these rolls is how moist and delicate the crumb is. No sturdy gluten strands allowed! If your kneading by hand, try not to add too much extra flour to your work surface. The dough may be sticky and annoying but it’s worth it.

Sweet dreams, little one.

Eating my words here: it 100% needed extra flour to roll it out without losing my mind.

The floss trick actually works! It helps protect the shape of the roll by applying pressure from all sides at once instead of just flat pressure from the top.

Putting them to sleep in the fridge over night. I couldn’t not bake up the awkward end nub with no filling – the dough is too yummy on its own!

The recipe called for cream poured over the top just before baking. Adding more milk fat could never been a bad thing, but I honestly don’t really notice a difference when I do a milk or cream wash. The sugars in the milk should help with browning, but I think you can take it or leave it.

Officially on my list of recipes I’ll make again! These are up there with those bananas foster cinnamon rolls from 2018.

Why yes, the Harry Potter pyrex DOES make the glaze taste better.

Happy munching!

Recipe mostly from: https://www.bakedambrosia.com/the-best-homemade-cinnamon-rolls/#recipe