Sharon's Orange Rolls

The night before...

2 Tablespoons regular yeast or 2 packets
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm (almost hot) water

In a 1 or 2 cup glass measuring cup, dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water--not too hot or it will kill the yeast.  "Proof " the yeast by letting it double in volume.

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup HOT water
3 eggs, beaten well
5 (+) cups flour

In a separate (microwaveable) bowl, dissolve the sugar, butter, and salt in the HOT water; if it doesn't dissolve completely, you can heat it in the microwave, in 30 second intervals, until dissolved.

Add eggs to hot mixture.

Add yeast and half of the flour to the mixture (if it's too hot it will kill the yeast) in a large bowl.

Mix well with an electric hand mixer.

Add the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, and stir in by hand with a wooden spoon after each addition.  Add enough flour so, when you stir with a wooden spoon, the dough "follows" the spoon around in a large ball.  (At this point, you aren't really stirring or mixing anything, you are just using the spoon to move the dough around the bowl.)  We used about 5 and 1/2 to 5 and 3/4 cups of flour.

Cover with a damp towel.  Let it rise 1 hour then stir it down.

Cover tightly with saran wrap, refrigerate over night.

Next day--3 and 1/2 hours before baking...

Filling--mix together
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest from 1 large or 2 medium oranges

Divide dough in half.

Roll out on a floured surface 3/8" to 1/2" thick into a rectangle about 8" to 10" wide and 18" long.

Spread on half of the filling, leaving 1/2" on the long sides to seal.

Roll up long way.

Using a knife, mark sections in dough about 1" apart making 18 sections.

Use thread to cut the dough by sliding it under to the desired spot, then bringing it up, crossing the two ends over the top and pulling tight.

Spray 3 muffin pans with PAM; place roll slices in pans with cut side up.

Let rise for about 2 and 1/2 hours before baking.  To prevent rolls from drying out, spray 1 side of wax paper with PAM and place over rolls.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until tops are a light golden brown.

Yield:  3 dozen orange rolls