Raisin-Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

    I had promised myself that this weekend I would undertake a painting project I have been putting off way too long.  I seriously intended to start Friday and finish up by the end of the weekend.  All was going as planned until Saturday afternoon when I decided I must make cinnamon rolls.  Always looking for excuses, I convinced myself that waking Easter morning to the smell of hot cinnamon rolls with orange icing trumped a freshly painted bedroom.

No one's sorry the bedroom didn't get painted.

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                          RAISIN-PECAN CINNAMON ROLLS
                 (from the Nov/Dec 1997 issue of Country Home Magazine)

4 1/2-5 cups unbleached flour
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unbleached flour
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup raisins or currants
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 Tbsp. half-and-half or cream
Icing (recipe follows)

1.  In a bowl combine 2 1/4 cups of the flour and the yeast.  In a saucepan heat the milk, 1/3 cup butter, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt just until warm (120-130 degrees on an instant-read thermometer) and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly.  Add to the flour mixture.  Add eggs.  Beat with mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly.  Beat on high speed 3 minutes.  Stir in as much of the remaining 2/14 to 2 3/4 cups of flour as you can.
2.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes).  Shape into a ball.  Place in a greased bowl, turning once.  Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in size (at least an hour).
3.  For filling, combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and cinnamon.  Cut in remaining butter until crumbly; set aside.  Punch dough down.  Turn out onto lightly floured surface.  Cover; let rest 10 minutes.  Roll dough into 12-inch square.  Sprinkle filling on top; add raisins or currants and pecans.  Roll up jelly-roll style; pinch edges to seal.  Slice into eight 1 1/2-inch pieces.  Arrange, cut side up, in a buttered 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
4.  Cover dough loosely with clear plastic wrap.  Refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.  Uncover; let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes.  (For immediate baking, don't chill dough.  Cover loosely; let rise in warm place until nearly double, about 45 minutes.)
5.  Break surface bubbles with toothpick.  Brush dough with half of the cream.  Bake in a 375 degree oven 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown.  To prevent overbrowning, cover rolls loosely with foil last 5 to 10 minutes.  Remove rolls from oven and brush with the remaining cream.  Cool slightly, then invert onto a wire rack. Invert onto serving platter and spread with cream cheese icing.  Makes 8 rolls.

                               CREAM CHEESE ICING
                        (adapted from Molly Wizenberg)

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. grated orange zest

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and using a hand-held mixer, mix on low speed until combined.