Cinnamon Buns with Orange Glaze

For the filling: Place light brown sugar, softened butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt into a stand mixer bowl. Grate the zest of half the orange into the bowl. Now, using the paddle attachment, beat on low speed until all ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is consistent in colour, scraping down the bowl as needed. Increase mixer to medium speed, and beat until mixture is slightly aerated, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a small bowl or a pastry bag. Set aside.

For the dough: Clean and prepare the stand mixer with a mixing bowl for the dough. Pour the milk into a glass measuring cup and add softened butter in small pieces. Warm the mixture in the microwave in 30-second increments to melt the butter. Whisk the mixture together and add in the sour cream. Using a digital thermometer, check the temperature of the milk mixture. Ideally the temperature should be around 38°C and no higher than 43°C.

In a large mixing bowl, add 1 pound (450g) of all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Add in the warm milk mixture, followed by the eggs, and mix with a spatula until just combined. Attach the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Knead with the dough hook on medium speed until a sticky dough has formed. Gradually add up to 4 more ounces of flour (110g), one tablespoon at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides and bottom of the bowl, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead gently by hand until smooth, about a minute, and shape into a ball. Cover the dough ball with the overturned mixer bowl and let it rest for 10 minutes. Prepare the shallow casserole by applying a light coating of non-stick spray. After 10 minutes have passed, roll out the dough into a rectangle roughly 10” x 20” (25 x 50cm). Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread dough evenly with reserved brown sugar filling, covering the entire surface.

Make a letter fold: take one short end and fold it over the middle third of the dough. Fold the opposite side over this same section to create 3 layers of dough. You should have a piece of dough roughly 7” x 10” (17 x 25cm). Roll the folded dough out to approximately 12” x 14” (30 x 35cm).

Using a pizza roller or a sharp knife, trim off the two shorter sides to make straight edges. Slice the remaining dough into 11 or 12 strips approximately 1-1 ¼” (2,5 – 3,5cm) wide. Separate the first strip from the rest and place one hand on each end of the dough strip. Push one hand (and one end of the dough strip) away from you, and pull one hand back towards you, shaping the dough into a twist. Starting on one end, bend the twisted dough inward and curl it all into a spiral, tucking the loose end underneath. Repeat with the remaining dough strips and place them into the prepared 32cm Le Creuset Signature Shallow Casserole. Cover the casserole with a tea towel and place in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, between 60 and 90 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180°C with a rack in the centre of the oven. After the buns have risen sufficiently, evenly pour in the heavy cream and sprinkle each bun with a pinch of turbinado sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned or until the dough reaches an internal temperature of ~88 °C.

For the orange glaze: Sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add the remaining orange zest into the sugar and gently whisk 3 tablespoons of reserved orange juice into the powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time. Add more juice as needed to create a thick glaze.

When the buns are ready, remove them from the oven to a cooling rack and drizzle with about half of the prepared glaze. Use a butter knife to separate the buns from the side of the pan, and allow to cool for 20 minutes before drizzling on the second half of the glaze.