Citrus Pull-Apart Rolls
 
 
Makes 6 large rolls
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 2¾-3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
Filling:
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup Turbinado sugar
  • 4 tablespoons citrus zest (see notes)
Instructions
Make the dough:
  1. In a large bowl, heat water until warm - about 30 seconds in the microwave should do. Add the yeast and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Whisk together until thoroughly combined and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
  2. In a separate bowl, warm the milk and butter until the butter melts - a minute in the microwave should do. Stir in the vanilla extract and add to the yeast mixture.
  3. Add the remaining granulated sugar, eggs, 2¾ cups flour and salt to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Continue adding flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough comes together to form a shaggy ball; it should be tacky but not sticky. Then knead the dough by hand (or with a dough hook attachment) until it’s smooth and elastic - this will take about 10 minutes (or less if using a stand mixer). Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let it rise until doubled in size, 1-2 hours.
Make the filling:
  1. Beat the butter, sugars and citrus zest together until well combined. Set aside at room temperature.
Shape and bake the rolls:
  1. After the dough has risen, punch it down and divide in half; set one piece aside.
  2. Roll one portion of dough into a 24″x9″ rectangle. Spread 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center third of the rectangle. Fold one short edge of the dough over the filling to cover it. Spread 2 tablespoons of the filling on top of the folded-over dough. Fold the other short edge of the dough over the filling to cover it. Finally, spread 1 tablespoon of the filling on top of the dough and fold it in half lengthwise.
  3. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut dough crosswise into 6 1.5"-wide segments. Place two segments, cut sides up, in each cup of a jumbo muffin pan. Repeat with second piece of dough.
  4. Spread remaining filling on tops of rolls. Lightly cover rolls with a piece of plastic wrap. Let rise until slightly puffed, about 1 hour.
  5. When the dough has almost finished rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. Remove the rolls from the muffin cups and let cool completely.
Notes
I used a mix of Buddha's Hand and satsuma zest and finely chopped kumquat skin.
Recipe by Two of a Kind at http://www.twoofakindcooks.com/citrus-pull-apart-rolls/