Indulgent Delight: Orange, Pistachio and Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

A delightful fusion of of citrusy orange, crunchy pistachios and rich chocolate nestled within warm, fluffy cinnamon rolls. I first made this recipe back in 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdown and it was such a hit with my family. They loved it so much, they started paying me to make it, LOL. This tantalizing recipe combines the comforting familiarity of cinnamon rolls with the exotic flair of orange zest and the irresistible crunch of pistachios, resulting in a treat that’s perfect for any occasion, from lazy weekend brunches to festive gatherings.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Dough:

• 2 Cups of milk
• 1/2 Cup of Canola Oil
• 100g White Sugar
• 10g Dry Yeast
• 560g Cake Flour
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
• 2 Tsp Salt

For the Filling:

• 60g Melted Butter
• 100g Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon (as much as you like)
• Zest of 1 orange
• 100g Dark Chocolate

For the Glaze:

• 300g Icing Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons of orange juice
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla essence

METHOD:

1. In a saucepan, combine milk, oil and sugar. Heat the mixture on medium heat until it’s lukewarm. Add yeast to the milk mixture and set it aside for 1 minute.
2. Transfer the milk mixture to a large bowl. Add 500g of flour directly into the milk mixture and stir it all to combine.
3. Cover the dough with cling wrap or a clean kitchen towel and leave it in a warm place for 1 hour. Check that the dough is rising after 30 minutes. If you added the yeast while the milk mixture was too hot, the dough will not rise.
4. After 1 hour, add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and remaining flour to the dough. Stir until combined.
5. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease an oven proof casserole or baking pan.
6. Remove dough on to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two halves (It’s easier to work with two halves instead of all of it at once)
7. Roll out the dough thinly into a rectangle shape. Spread half the melted butter on to the dough. Sprinkle half the sugar, cinnamon, orange zest, pistachios and chocolate onto the dough.
8. Roll the dough length-wise. Make sure it is rolled tightly.
9. Using a sharp knife, slice the rolled dough into equal slices.
10. Arrange the sliced pieces onto the casserole. Set aside and repeat steps 7-10 with the second half of the dough.
11. Allow the rolls to rest for 15 minutes before baking in the oven for 20 minute or until they’re golden brown.
12. To make the glaze, mix the icing sugar, orange juice and vanilla essence together and pour this mixture over the warm rolls.