by Joan Saunders | photos by Amanda Cribdon Photography –
It takes very little persuasion to get my son to help me make sticky rolls for Mother’s Day. They are dangerously good. They’re the kind of treat that, if they’re out on the counter, I will walk by and think “I’ll just have a little slice.” Then I pass by again and take another, as I say, “titch more.” And the next time I wander through the kitchen I have an additional chunk of caramelly tastiness. It would be simpler to just take a whole bun and be done with it, but psychologically it’s quite entertaining to convince myself that I’m just having a little bit, not an entire bun. Or, dare I say, two.
But I have no regrets, as for a special treat it’s always great fun to play around in the kitchen and make something for breakfast or brunch that is a sticky, nutty, ooey-gooey glorious indulgence. The bonus? You can make them the day before then just pop them in the oven on Mother’s Day. These buns aren’t too sweet, but are rather a fabulous mix of an enriched dough layered with nuts and cinnamon then highlighted with an amazing caramel sauce. The trick is to carefully flip the rolls onto a platter when they’re still warm as then the luscious topping oozes over the buns. So amazing. I haven’t heard any complaints from my son, either, as I’m sure he has also convinced himself that just one more roll as he wanders through the kitchen can easily be rationalized. I have taught him well.
Dangerously Good Sticky Rolls
Dough
2 ¼ tsp instant yeast
¾ cup milk
1 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp butter, melted, then slightly cooled
4 egg yolks
1 egg
3 ¾ cups flour
1 tsp coarse salt
oil or spray to coat bowl
Caramel
½ cup butter
¾ cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup whipping cream
⅓ cup honey
¼ tsp coarse salt
Filling
¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp coarse salt
1 ½ tbsp butter, melted
1 ½ cups toasted, cooled chopped nuts, (I used a mix of walnuts and pecans)
Dough: using instant yeast, stir it into milk along with sugar in bowl of stand mixer (or bowl you’re using if mixing by hand). Then whisk in butter, yolks, whole egg. Add half the flour; mix with dough hook in stand mixer, or wooden spoon, if doing this by hand. Add salt, then rest of flour; continue to mix until dough forms. With mixer, knead with hook for 5-7 minutes on low, until dough is stretchy. If kneading by hand, knead 5-10 minutes on floured counter. Oil large bowl, put in dough; rise until doubled, about 2 to 2 ½ hours.
Make the caramel about 45 minutes before dough has doubled. Over medium heat, melt butter in saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, cream, honey, salt. Bring to boil. Then reduce heat to low; stir and simmer until caramel is golden, about 3-5 minutes. Pour into bottom and up sides of 9×13 baking dish. Let dish cool in fridge while putting together rolls.
Stir sugars, cinnamon, salt together in small bowl. Remove slightly cooled caramel from fridge; sprinkle caramel with 1 cup nuts.
Put risen dough onto floured counter; roll into rectangle 18 inches wide (side closest to you) and about 12 inches long. Try to keep width at 18 inches, but OK to be longer. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle all of dough with filling and then ½ cup nuts. Roll dough into tight 18-inch-long spiral. Using serrated knife, gently saw the log into 1 ½ inch sections. Arrange each cut roll evenly on caramel base. You want 12 rolls.
Cover with plastic wrap; proof at room temperature for another 1 ½ to 2 hours, until they come together in pan and look puffy again. Or, you can refrigerate overnight (which is what I like to do). Remove from fridge 1 hour before you want to bake them. Heat oven to 350°.
Bake buns until puffed, golden, 35-40 minutes.
Let rest in pan for a couple of minutes, then carefully, quickly invert them onto large platter. Scoop out extra caramel from pan onto rolls. Eat warm. Keep leftovers in fridge; reheat slightly when serving. You can also make this recipe in two round 9 inch pans, just divide up the caramel and rolls as you put it together. This does make inverting the rolls easier.
Adapted and amalgamated from:
www./smittenkitchen.com/2015/02/pecan-sticky-buns-news/
www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/overnight-cinnamon-rolls-recipe-2014250
www.bonappetit.com/recipe/ the-ultimate-sticky-buns
