Soft, sweet homemade orange rolls form a beautiful, festive pastry wreath that is easy enough for even beginning bread bakers to make. Perfect for Christmas morning, Sunday brunch, or any special occasion.
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What's the Story on Pastry Wreaths?
Over the course of decades, four of my closest friends and I have become known (at least among ourselves) as The 5 Moms. Collectively, we have raised 20+ children to adulthood, and we've been through some things together.
Until the Pandemic altered our traditions, our five families celebrated Christmas Eve (or Christmas Eve-Eve) together each year with a big holiday dinner. One of my favorite additions to the meal was when Michelle's made her classic Danish Wreaths. The soft, supple orange and cinnamon filled pastry rings were melt-in-your-mouth tender and oh, so sweet.
Many years ago, Michelle generously shared her Danish wreath recipe with me. When I finally took on the task of testing and writing it up, I decided to break it into two posts: one for this Orange Tea Ring, and a second for an equally delicious and beautiful Cinnamon Roll Ring.
Sometimes known as a Southern Tea Ring, this scrumptious orange pastry wreath makes a beautiful, festive presentation, and is easy enough for even beginning bread bakers to make. It's perfect for Christmas breakfast, Sunday brunch, or any special occasion.
What Goes into this Recipe
Basic Sweet Roll Ingredient Notes
Dough ingredients should all start at room temperature.
★ Flour: Use bread flour if possible. All-purpose flour will also work.
★ Butter: We use salted butter for this recipe. If you use unsalted butter, add an additional ¼ teaspoon of salt.
★ Milk: We use whole milk whenever we make breads. It makes the bread more tender and soft. Any milk will work, including rehydrated dried milk.
★ Yeast: Use active dry yeast. (We have not tested this recipe using rapid rise yeast.)
Orange Filling Ingredients Notes
★ Butter: Use room temperature salted butter. If you use unsalted butter, add an additional ¼ teaspoon of salt.
★ Orange zest & juice: Use fresh orange juice if at all possible. Under no circumstances should you use dried orange peel for this recipe.
How to Make an Orange Danish Wreath
Orange Filling
NOTE: This recipe makes enough dough to make 2 tea rings, and enough orange filling for one or two tea rings, depending on how much you love orange filling.
If you plan to make two orange wreaths, and you love the orange icing, simply double the filling amounts. You may also make a cinnamon roll wreath with the second part of the dough.
Beat butter, orange zest, juice, and powdered sugar until creamy and smooth. Set aside.
Basic Sweet Roll Dough
Beat eggs in a small bowl. Set aside.
Scald the milk by heating it in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it is just below boiling, when small bubbles form around the edges; 180°-185°F (82°-85°C). Add butter and sugar to warm milk, and stir until sugar dissolves and butter is melted.
In another small bowl, dissolve yeast and ½ teaspoon sugar in ½ cup warm water: 110°-115°F (43°-45°C). Let it set for about 5 minutes; until it is bubbly.
Add yeast mixture and beaten eggs to milk mixture. Stir in salt.
Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or electric mixer, add flour one cup at a time until a soft dough is formed. (The dough may be a little sticky.) Do not overmix.
- Knead with Mixer: Using a dough hook, knead dough until it becomes soft and elastic; about 4-5 minutes.
- Knead by Hand: Turn dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface. Knead by hand until soft and elastic; about 6 minutes.
Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and allow it to rise until double; about 1 hour.
Divide dough into 2 equal parts. Wrap one dough ball with plastic wrap and (a) set aside if you plan to make a second tea ring, or (b) place it in the refrigerator if you plan to use it later.
Form Tea Ring
Turn out dough and knead a few times to release the air.
Divide dough into 2 equal parts. Wrap one dough ball with plastic wrap and (a) set aside if you plan to make a second tea ring, or (b) place it in the refrigerator if you plan to use it later.
Use a rolling pin to roll out one piece of dough into a long rectangle (very) roughly 20x14 inches and ¼-inch thick.
Spread half* of the orange filling on dough.
- Use half the filling mixture if you love orange filling and can't get enough of it. (Mr B and I fall into this category.) In this case, you will have enough filling to make 1 tea ring.
- Use a quarter of the filling mixture if you just like a little sweetness and a gentle hint of orange flavor. In this case, you will have enough filling to make 2 tea rings.
Roll dough along the long edge to form a long roll. Pinch the seam together, and use a sharp knife to even out the ends.
On a parchment covered cookie sheet, form a ring with the dough roll, with the seam on the bottom.
Using scissors or a sharp knife, cut dough every 1½-inches (or closer if you prefer), cutting ¾ of the way through the dough.
(I could have cut in deeper on this one.)
Turn each cut piece on its side, fanning the pieces out to form the wreath. Cover and let dough rise again; ~ 30 to 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Brush top of the tea ring with beaten whole egg. (If you want any nuts or other decorations baked into the top, add them now.)
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until light golden brown.
Drizzle with remaining orange icing immediately.
Cool for at least one hour before moving.
FAQs & Expert Tips
Scalded milk is milk that is heated to a temperature of 180°-185°F (82°-85°C) and then cooled down to about 110°F (43°C). Milk boils at 212°F (100°C), so scalded milk never reaches a boiling point.
Scalding is an old technique for pasteurizing milk, but it is still a useful practice, particularly in bread baking.
It's easy to make this ahead of time and have it ready to bake in the morning.
Make the dough and form the wreath the day before. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight. In the morning, allow the the dough come to room temperature and rise. Proceed with baking and icing from there.
For an easy, festive presentation, garnish with sugared cranberries and sage leaves.
More Sweet, Festive Bread Recipes
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Orange Tea Ring (Danish Wreath)
Equipment
- 2 Baking Trays
- 1 Sharp Knife or scissors
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Electric Mixer optional
Ingredients
Basic Sweet Roll Dough
Orange Filling & Icing
- 6 tablespoons butter room temperature
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest ~2 large oranges
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1½ cups powdered sugar more or less
Instructions
Orange Filling
- Beat butter, orange zest, juice, and powdered sugar until creamy and smooth. Set aside.
Basic Sweet Roll Dough
- Dough ingredients should all start at room temperature.
- Beat eggs in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Scald the milk by heating it in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it is just below boiling, when small bubbles form around the edges; 180°-185°F (82°-85°C).Add butter and sugar to warm milk, and stir until sugar dissolves and butter is melted.Set aside to cool slightly; to ~110°F (43°C).
- In another small bowl, dissolve yeast and ½ teaspoon sugar in ½ cup warm water: 110°-115°F (43°-45°C). Let it set for about 5 minutes; until it is bubbly.
- Add yeast mixture and beaten eggs to milk mixture. Stir in salt.
- Pour the milk mixture into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or electric mixer on low, add flour one cup at a time until a soft dough is formed. (The dough may be a little sticky.) Do not overmix.
- Knead with MixerUsing a dough hook, knead dough until it becomes soft and elastic; about 4-5 minutes. Knead by HandTurn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead by hand until soft and elastic; about 6 minutes.
- Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and allow it to rise until double; about 1 to 1¼ hours.
Form Wreaths
- Turn out dough and knead a few times to release the air. Divide dough into 2 equal parts. Wrap one dough ball with plastic wrap and (a) set aside if you plan to make a second tea ring, or (b) place it in the refrigerator if you plan to use it later.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out one piece of dough into a long rectangle (very) roughly 20x14 inches and ¼-inch thick.
- Spread half* of the orange filling onto the dough rectangle, leaving a little each on each side. (The orange filling is sloppy.) • Use half the filling mixture if you love orange filling and can't get enough of it. In this case, you will have enough filling to make 1 tea ring.• Use a quarter of the filling mixture if you just like a little sweetness and a gentle hint of orange flavor. In this case, you will have enough filling to make 2 tea rings.
- Roll dough along the long edge to form a long roll. Pinch the seam together, and use a sharp knife to even out the ends. On a parchment covered cookie sheet, form a ring with the dough roll, with the seam on the bottom.
- Using scissors or a sharp knife, cut dough every 1½-inches (or closer if you prefer), cutting ¾ of the way through the dough to the center.Turn each cut piece on its side, fanning the pieces out to form the wreath.
- Cover and let dough rise again; ~ 30 to 45 minutes.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).Brush top of the tea ring with beaten whole egg. (If you want any nuts or other decorations baked into the top, add them now.)
- Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 15 minutes, until light golden brown on top. Internal temp: 190°F (88°C).
Finish
- Drizzle baked wreath with icing immediately after taking it out of the oven. Allow wreaths to cool for one hour before moving.
Notes
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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