Morning Buns

Morning Buns originated at The Ovens of Brittany Restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin around 1970. By 1984 the smallest of their four Restaurants was selling 3500 Buns during the weekdays and even more on the week end. The recipe gradually made it's way Westward. The East Coast is not known for them. They're different than Cinnamon Rolls. They're made with a light, flaky and buttery Croissant Dough rather than the Bread like Dough of a Cinnamon Roll.

Here's what you'll need:
1 - 12 C Muffin Tin lined with Paper Cupcake Liners and sprayed with a Vegetable Cooking Spray.
A Rimmed Sheet Pan, Parchment Paper and Plastic Wrap.
You'll preheat the oven later in the recipe.

Dough Ingredients
3 C Flour
1 TBS Granulated Sugar + additional if you want to Sprinkle the finished Buns.
2 1/4 tsp Instant Rapid Rise Yeast
3/4 tsp Salt
24 TBS Butter, chilled and cubed. (3 sticks)
1 C Cold Sour Cream
1/2 C Cold Orange Juice
3 TBS Ice Water
1 Egg Yolks

Filling Ingredients
1/2 C Granulated Sugar
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1 TBS Orange Zest
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Vanilla

Dough Instructions
In a Large 1 Gallon Ziploc Storage Bag: (they have easy open tabs, easy to use with a tight seal.)
Flour
Sugar
Yeast
Salt

Add:
Butter
Seal and Shake until Butter is completely coated.
Press the air out of the bag.
Use a Rolling Pin and Roll over the Bag several times, shaking it after each time.
Continue until you can see large flakes of Butter.
Transfer to a Large Mixing Bowl.

Add:
Sour Cream
Orange Juice
Water
Egg Yolk
Stir to combine well with a Wooden Spoon.
Transfer Dough to a Lightly Floured surface.
Briefly knead it and form a Smooth Ball.

Place the Ball onto a lightly floured surface.
Roll it out into a 12" X 20" Rectangle with the Shortest end toward you.

Begin at the 12" end and Roll tightly away from you.
Pat the log into a 12" X 4" rectangle.
Place it on a Rimmed Sheet Pan lined with Parchment Paper.
Cover the entire Sheet Pan with plastic wrap and Freeze for 15 minutes.

Filling Instructions
In a Medium Bowl:
Granulated Sugar
Brown Sugar
Orange Zest
Cinnamon
Vanilla
Mix well.

Transfer Dough to a Floured Surface.
Roll out to a 12" X 20" Rectangle with the long side toward you.

Sprinkle evenly with Filling, leaving a 1/2" Border on all four sides.
Gently press the Filling into the Dough.
Roll tightly away from you.
Pinch the seam to seal it.
Trim the ends with a sharp knife.

Cut the roll into 12 equal pieces.
Place them cut side down in the prepared Muffin Tin.
Cover the entire Pan with Plastic Wrap.
Refrigerate 4 hours or even overnight.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Once it has reached the temperature, turn it off.
Remove the Plastic Wrap.
Put the Pan in the oven with the door ajar for 20 - 30 minutes.

Remove it from the oven.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Return the Pan to the Oven and bake for 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 325 degrees and continue baking for 40 - 50 minutes.

Transfer the Pan to a Rack.
Remove the Buns from the Liners and place them on a Serving Platter.
Sprinkle with additional Granulated Sugar if desired.
Serve Hot.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!