Tick Tock Orange Sticky Rolls
Submitted by dachshundlady on February 08, 2009 at 7:40 am

The Tick Tock Tea Room in Hollywood survived from 1930 through 1988. The rolls were served as a complimentary dish before the start of each meal. I can't imagine eating these and then having room for anything! The recipe was in the June/July issue of Cook's Country under the "Lost Recipe" section; my favorite part of the magazine. I will give their version with some notes of my own.

1/2 cup thawed OJ concentrate
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teas cinnamon
1 teas orange zest (I use 1/8 teas orange oil)
1/8 teas cloves (be sure to include this)
1/8 teas salt
1 Table unsalted butter, melted
2 3/4 cups AP flour + some for work surface
2 Table granulated sugar
2 teas baking powder
1/2 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
6 Table unsalted butter, melted

Grease 9 inch cake pan with cooking spray (I found this crowded so I use a 10" round one or a 8" X 8" square pan). Bring all ingredients to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until mixture thickens and clings to back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Pour mixture into prepared pans. Cool until glaze hardens, at least 20 minutes.

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients except butter in small bowl. Using fork, stir in melted butter until mixture resembles wet sand.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk and melted butter in small bowl (mixture will clump), then stir into flour mixture until combined. Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth, about 5 minutes (I do 4, and yes, you knead this biscuit dough. Reason being to toughen it slightly so it does not suck up all the glaze and get soggy. Trust me, they are still tender but you then have some glaze at the end and not just sloppy rolls.)

Roll dough into a 12" X 9" rectangle. Pat filling into dough, leaving 1/2" border. Starting at one long end, roll dough into a tight cylinder and pinch seams. Cut log into 8 pieces (I do 9) and arrange cut side down on cooled glaze, placing 1 roll in center (I fit them where I can) and remaining rolls around edge (I scoop up spilled filling and press onto rolls that need more).

Bake until rolls are golden and glaze is darkened and bubbling, 18 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes (NO longer or the buns will stick). Turn out onto platter (don't forget to scrape the pans and smear on "bald" spots) and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Sometimes I increase this recipe by half (thus using half of the 12 ounce can of OJ concentrate)and make them in a 9" X 13" pan or (2) 8" rounds (nice to keep one and take one to a friend). Everyone who has tasted these rolls loves them and my husband likes them better than a yeasted sweet roll because they do not dry out as quickly or get "granulated."

comments
Submitted by wendyb964 on Tue, 2012-06-19 02:00.
Ahh, this brings back fond memories of the Tick Tock restaurant with my grandmum and sisters. A long overdue perusal of these posts was well worth it.

Submitted by dachshundlady on Wed, 2012-06-20 19:06.
So glad I could provide that. I know the feeling . . .
And the rolls are outstanding!

Submitted by cperrin63 on Wed, 2012-11-28 17:50.
Thank you for posting this recipe. My grandparents would take my family to The Tick Tock restaurant for special occasions. I don't remember much about the food other than the orange sweet rolls. My mother always had to put a limit on how many I could have.

Submitted by dachshundlady on Wed, 2012-11-28 21:04.
That's great. Love to provide a much remembered recipe.

Submitted by Semtex on Tue, 2013-05-21 10:39.
Glad I ran into this recipe. Looks good.