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Orange Coconut Christmas Wreath


Last week we were invited to a Christmas brunch and I offered to bring the sweet rolls. 
I've made yeast Christmas wreaths for years with different fillings but this idea for dough came to me as I thought about combining the flavours of  Paska dough and my refrigerator dough.

  • 1 large orange
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup liquid honey
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
  • 5 cups flour
  1. Peel orange with a vegetable peeler, and place peel in blender jar.  Remove the white part of the orange rind from orange and discard.  Slice orange and discard seeds. Place orange in blender with the water and eggs.
  2. Place butter in microwave safe measuring cup and melt in microwave.  Add honey to the cup to make one cup and pour butter and honey into blender jar.  Add salt.  
  3. Blend on high for 2 minutes.  
  4. Place in mixer bowl along with the yeast.  Add 2 cups of flour and then one cup at a time and then knead with the dough hook (or by hand) according to your dough mixer instructions until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  5. Place in a greased large mixing bowl.  Turn once to coat all the sides of the dough.  Place a large plastic bag over the bowl.  Refrigerate overnight.
  6. In the morning, divide dough into two pieces and roll each piece into approximately 20 X 6 inches.
Filling
  • 1/4 cup softened butter
  • finely grated orange rind of one large orange
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  1. Divide butter and spread on each rolled out piece of dough.
  2. Combine grated orange rind, sugar and coconut in a small bowl with your fingertips.  Sprinkle over both pieces of dough.  
  3. Roll up each piece of dough long side first as you would a cinnamon roll.
  4. Place each roll on a greased round baking pizza shaped pan, leaving an inch around the edges of the pan for rising. 
  5. Pinch together ends of dough and slice through the front and top, leaving the back of the roll uncut. 
  6. Lay each slice down, first towards the front and the next slice towards the back, forming a wreath.
  7. Cover lightly and allow to rise in a warm place about an hour and a half.
  8. Preheat oven to 325 F convection or 350 without convection.
  9. Bake about 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
Orange Sour Cream Topping
  • 1 cup full fat sour cream
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • juice of half a large orange
  1. While the wreath is baking, prepare the topping by mixing together.  Pour over hot wreaths as soon as they comes out of the oven.
To estimate time in having this ready for a morning brunch.  Remove cold dough at 7 AM to have wreath coming out of the oven for 9:30.  








17 comments:

  1. QUESTION: Is there no yeast in this dough?? Leavening??? Sounds awesome, just would like to know. Thanks.

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    1. Thank you... I've added in the yeast amount! I hope you enjoy this recipe.

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  2. I was wondering the same thing...?
    JB

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  3. What kind of yearst? Can I use regular yeast as I don't have much success with the instant kind? What a great idea, looks delicious!

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    1. The yeast I use is Fermipan regular yeast. It is finely granulated. I don't use instant yeast and wouldn't recommend it for the long rise. If in doubt, use regular yeast and take part of the water to dissolve it in first. Use lukewarm water for that instead of cold.

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  4. Lovella am confused with don;t cut right through dough do just pick-up the pieces of dough and lay them down--ummm!!

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    Replies
    1. Shirley, does it help to look at the photos? You can see in the collage that the roll is not cut through towards the center of the pan.

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    2. Thanks Lovella !! perhaps I should take a second look :)

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  5. Oh YUM! I'm going to make them. The cook at my elementary school in Western Washington made the most delicious orange rolls. If I could just taste those treats one more time!

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  6. About 30 years ago I made some orange rolls and they were soo good! I have no idea where I got the recipe or where it is now but these rolls look even better. I will definitely try them. Thank you.
    vincie

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  7. Oh Lovella this looks so good. I've been looking for a good homemade refrigerator dough recipe. Can't wait to try this!

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  8. This recipe is very attractive. I'd love to hear what other fillings you recommend, too!

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  9. This looks so delicious! I'm wondering if I could prepare the wreath and then freeze it. If so, could I remove it from the freezer the night before and bake it in the morning? Or would freezing it prevent it from rising? Thanks!

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    1. I haven't tested that method. If you bake it first and then reheat it, it would be safer. I'd tent some foil over the pan and reheat it gently in the oven.

      Let me know if you test the method to freeze it unbaked. It would be great to know if that works.

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    2. Thank you, I think I will try baking it first as you suggest.

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  10. If I want to bake it the same day how long would I leave it covered in a warm place to rise?

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  11. Looks wonderful I would like to make this.. with love Janice

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