Instructions: FOR DOUGH: In a small bowl, stir the yeast with the warm water. Set aside until bubbly.

Heat milk, sugar, salt, and butter together until butter melts. Pour into a large bowl to cool to lukewarm. Add yeast to the cooled milk mixture. Add eggs and 2 cups of the flour and beat well by hand, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups flour, one cup at a time, beating well until soft and smooth and should pull cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn into a buttered bowl, then generously butter the surface of the dough with the softened butter, top and bottom. Cover with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate as little as 2 hours, or overnight, or up to 3 days. Dough will rise in refrigerator. It will be ready for rolling and shaping the next morning.

FOR SYRUP: Bring water, butter, orange zest, orange juice, and sugar to a boil and simmer 10 minutes.

TO ASSEMBLE BUNS: Simmer raisins in water for 10 minutes, then drain.

Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans. Pour syrup equally into pans.

Mix 1 tablespoon sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon.

Set our 4 small bowls to hold an assembly line of the softened butter, sugar-cinnamon mixture, pecans, and drained raisins.

Divide dough in half. Place first section on a surface lightly sprinkled with flour and roll it into a 10- by 12-inch rectangle. Spread surface with half the butter, then sprinkle with half the cinnamon-sugar, pecans, and raisins. Roll up from long side into a snug log. With a sharp knife, cut into 8 sections. Place spirals, cut sides down, into the syrup in one of the pans, placing 1 spiral in the center and 7 around. Repeat with remaining dough and second pan.

Cover buns with a cloth and let rise 1 hour. After 40 minutes, preheat oven to 375F.

Bake buns 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and immediately invert onto a rack with waxed paper underneath to catch drips. Let cool 10 minutes before icing with the glaze.

FOR THE GLAZE: Do not mix until ready to use. With a fork, mix sugar and cream until smooth. Pour over buns.

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