Chocolate Orange Sweet Rolls

Ingredients

Orange-Spiced Milk:

• 2 tablespoons of Tea Forté's Sweet Orange Spice Tea*
• 1 cup whole milk

Tangzhong:

• 1/2 cup orange-spiced milk 
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Dough:

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1/2 cup orange-spiced milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons orange zest 
• 1 teaspoon fine salt 
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
• egg wash, for brushing (1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water)
• coarse sugar, for sprinkling

Filling:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder

Directions

Make the Orange-Spiced Milk:
In a saucepan over low heat, whisk together the milk and tea leaves. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer and remove from heat. Let stand 15 minutes to infuse. Strain the steeped milk from the tea leaves and set the liquid aside until ready to use, discard tea leaves. Divide the steeped milk into two 1/2 cups, as this will be used in both the tangzhong and the dough.
 
Make the Tangzhong:
Add a 1/2 cup of the steeped milk, water and flour to a saucepan over low heat. Whisk together until mixture thickens into a smooth paste. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Make the Dough:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix together the flour and instant yeast.
2. In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the tangzhong, the remaining 1/2 cup of the steeped milk, egg, sugar, orange zest and salt.
3. Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and mix until dough begins to come together. Slowly add the butter in small cubes and continue mixing until the dough is smooth, about 8 minutes.
4. Cover the dough and let rise for 30 minutes before refrigerating overnight.

Make the Filling, Roll and Bake:

1. The next day, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out the rested dough on a lightly floured surface to roughly a 12 x 24-inch rectangle. Spread the 1/2 cup of softened butter evenly over the rolled dough leaving a 1/4 inch border around the edges.
2. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon and cocoa powder. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
3. Tightly roll the dough into a log, starting from the 12-inch side. Trim  the edges when done.
4. Slice the dough log into twelve 1-inch thick sections and transfer to a lined baking sheet, roughly 6 rolls per baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375˚ F degrees.
5. When ready to bake, brush the tops with egg wash and finish with coarse sugar on top.
6. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Enjoy with a hot cup of tea!

Yield: 12 sweet rolls

* Sweet Orange Spice loose leaf tea is available in our seasonal Warming Joy Single Steeps® Sampler, as well as in loose tea canisters.