Maw Maw Recipe and Tips

Why are cottage bakery prices higher than sweets from a grocer? Love. Pure, simple. Love. Love of a craft. Loving to serve. Putting in the highest effort.

The original Maw Maw is a labor of love. A time of peace, reflection, and creativity.

The final swirls make for the perfect addition to "a chew, a cup, and a convo"  (a great bite to chew, helping us to intentionally listen and not speak; a hot cup of coffee to warm from the toes up, and a convo with Jesus (or our second best friend) to heal our soul)

Total time: 2-2 1/2 hours

Prep: 40 minutes

Bake time: 18-22 minutes (ovens vary)

Bake temp: 350 for light or glass pans; 325 for darker metal pans

Pan size: 1/2 sheet pan or large cookie sheet for The Maw Maw intended in this recipe. They're a handFULL.

Ingredients

Dough:

• 180g whole milk
• 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 50 g sugar
• 57 g salted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs, at room temp
• 1/2 Tbsp lemon extract
• 400 g unbleached bread flour
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Filling:

• 65 g salted butter, softened at room temp
• 180 g granulated sugar  
• 2 large oranges (zested and juiced)
• 30 g granulated sugar, for simple syrup
• 30 g heavy cream, room temp
• 15 g salted butter, softened at room temp

Topping:

• 130 g pecan halves, chopped, divided and toasted
• 40 g sweetened coconut flakes, divided and toasted
• 2 Tbsp mini morsels

1. Make filling: Zest oranges and rub into the 180 granulated sugar until well incorporated, set aside

2. Make simple syrup: Juice lemons, measure 1/2 cup into a small saucepan, add 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, cook over low heat until sugar is completely melted. Set aside to cool

3. Toast 1/2 chopped pecans and coconut over low heat. Be mindful and stir often. Once the coconut starts to brown, it toasts quickly. You want a golden color, not brown.

4. Prepare icing - set aside. Do not refrigerate. Recipe below.

5. Grease sheet pan with the 15 g salted butter, softened at room temp that is noted in the filling recipe.

Dough

Warm milk to 115 degrees and place in the warmed bowl of stand mixer. Add sugar and yeast. Stir lightly. Cover with a towel for 10 minutes, until proofed.

Remove towel, attach paddle and turn the mixer on to stir or up to 1. Add 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk, one at a time about 15 seconds between. Add cooled butter and extract. Mix for 30 seconds.

Remove bowl from mixer, add flour and salt and stir until all flour is moistened. Scrape sides.

Place bowl on stand, add dough hook, turn mixer to 2 for 3 minutes.

Dough will be slightly sticky at the bottom of the bowl, so do not give into the temptation to add more flour. With a slightly oiled hand, pull all the dough from the mixer, place in a lightly greased bowl (hence, olive oil) and gently shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and a warmed towel.

Rise until doubled in size (1-1/12 hours depending on your rise method and kitchen temp.

Punch dough down, place on a LIGHTLY floured surface. (I use oil, not flour, just my preference)

Gently shape to a rectangle. Hand press to 10 X 14 rectangle. (Yes, you can roll it out, just be gentle)

Filling

Spread softened butter over dough and cover with all the hand rubbed orange sugar all the way to edge on long sides and one short side. Keep 1/4 inch clear on the short edge farthest away from you.

Sprinkle evenly with toasted pecans and coconut mix.

Starting on the short side closest to you , with sugar on it, tightly roll dough. Do not worry if the center is a little thicker than the ends. After rolling, pinch that 1/4 inch without sugar, into the rolled dough.

If the center is a big thicker, gently pull from center toward ends, making it the same size.

Cut into 8 equal sections with a serrated bread knife and place on a 1/2 size sheet pan or large cookie sheet. Give them room to feel the love.

Brush tops and sides of each roll with heavy cream.

Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and a warm towel. Let rise in the oven with the light on for about 1/2 hour. They should be doubled in size.

 

Bake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once ready, wait 10 minutes before opening or using. (let rolls continue to rise while preheating)

Place uncovered pan of rolls inside oven and let the magic happen 19-22 minutes.

Open the oven only once to check the color at 18 minutes. If there is no color you need two more minutes for a slight bit of color. Remove from the oven once coloring starts.

Cool in the pan on a rack (for airflow) for 5 minutes (rolls are still baking). Place another pan or parchment paper under the rack to catch icing when topping rolls.

Brush outside only with simple syrup. This holds in moisture so your rolls don't dry out quickly and adds just the right punch of orange.

Gently remove swirls from the pan, one at a time onto the cooling rack. Spoon two ounces icing over center, let it melt down inside and along the sides as it chooses.

Topping

Once completely cooled, spoon 1 tablespoon icing over the top of each swirl

Top with the remaining half of toasted coconut and pecans

Top with mini morsels.

Serve slightly warm or at room temp for best flavor. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temp. Warm swirls in the microwave for 10 seconds to get that fresh baked taste later.

Tips

Do not melt butter other than when called for. Room temp, softened butter works best.

Let your eggs sit out 30 min to 1 hour to become actual room temp.

Do not use bottled orange juice. It seems to make the dough stickier and you tend to add more flour. These swirls have a chew to them, they get tough with more flour.

Place your dough or rolls with plastic and towel covering, into the oven with the light on. This will help dough rise in a cold kitchen. If the temp goes above 82 degrees, turn the light off.

Dough tends to rise best between 75 and 82 degrees.

This recipe is fantastic dairy free as well. Use cashew milk or soy milk in place of milk and heavy cream. Use Country Crock plant butter. Use the same measurements from the recipe.

Many recipes call for a pour of heavy cream just before baking. This recipe calls for lightly brushing each roll. It has the same effect without using too much cream.

Topping, filling, and icing can all be prepared during initial dough rise.

Maw Maw Icing

114 g salted butter

57 g grass fed butter

1 11.6 oz can sweetened condensed coconut milk (stir well) (can substitute regular sweetened condensed milk - still good, but not the same)

1/2 Tablespoon McCormicks orange extract

1/2 tsp kosher salt

4 cups powdered sugar (run through a sieve or sift if lumpy)

1. Using paddle attachment, cream butters together in a stand mixer on medium high to high speed. Let it go for 10 minutes. Scrape down once or twice. Mix should turn white.

2. Scrape down sides one last time, turn mixer back on to stir setting or up to the 2.

3. Add sweetened condensed milk in 4 parts at the same low speed. It will otherwise separate in the butter. Savable but difficult to do.

4. Add extract then salt, stirring 30 seconds more.

5. Turn the mixer off. Add powdered sugar and mix on low until mostly stirred in. Turn onto med high and let it beat 2-3 minutes. It should thicken.

5. Set aside until ready to use