Pecan Sticky Buns before the Day Starts

Pecan Sticky Buns before the Day Starts is filed under Pastries and built around dark brown sugar unpacked, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves. Plan on 8 sticky buns.

Count on 30 minutes of prep, 20 minutes of cooking, 40 minutes of resting, about 1 hour from the first measurement to the plate.

Ingredients Method

What goes in the bowl

For the spice mixture

• ½ cup dark brown sugar unpacked
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg

For the Caramel Topping Mixture

• ½ cup dark brown sugar firmly packed
• 4 ½ tablespoons honey
• 52 mL whiskey
• ½ cup pecans chopped

For the Dough

• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 83 mL orange juice
• 114 mL water warm
• 1 package instant yeast 2 ¼ teaspoons
• 3 tablespoons milk powder
• 2 ¾ cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large egg

For Assembly

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

How the cooking goes

Prepare the filling & caramel

1. In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients of the spice mixture in the recipe card above. Keep it to one side.
2. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and keep it to one side. In a large sauté pan or in a large saucepan, combine the dark brown sugar, butter, honey, whiskey and chopped pecans. Heat it until it boils.
3. Stir and cook over a moderate flame until the sugar is melted and the mixture combines. Allow to cool slightly and then pour into the prepared cake pan. Spread out or tip the pan to spread evenly.

Mix the Dough

1. Rub the orange zest into the sugar and keep it to one side to release its oils. This can be done up to 2 days ahead of mixing, but you typically do it while measuring the rest of the ingredients.
2. In the bowl of a electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine milk powder, orange juice, water, instant yeast, bread flour, sugar with orange zest, butter and eggs and mix on low speed until the dough is hydrated and all the ingredients have incorporated.
3. Put the salt to the dough and mix on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, or until a soft, strong, elastic dough forms. Use the window-pane test to assess the dough. It should pull a smooth, thin window similar to a brioche dough.
4. Turn the dough out into a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and proof at ambient temperature or in a 75°F proof box for 20 minutes.
5. Fold the dough by taking one side, stretching it up and laying it over the center of the dough in the bowl. Rotate 90° and repeat with the next side. Rotating and folding each of the 4 sides. Cover and proof for an additional 20 minutes.
6. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch by 16-inch rectangle. Lightly brush the bread with melted butter then sprinkle the dough with the spice mixture.
7. Starting from the long side, gently roll the dough into a log, thus making a longer, not fatter, log. Seal the edges by pressing the heel of your hand against the bench.
8. Cut the log into 8 equal pieces. Place 7 pieces cut-side down around the perimeter of the prepared cake pan. Place the last piece in the center of the pan.
9. Cover and proof the buns for 10-20 minutes depending on the warmth of your room. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375°F convection.
10. Oven-bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes to an internal temperature of 185°F.
11. Remove the buns from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Invert the pan onto a wire cooling rack placed on top of a piece of baking paper to catch any dripping caramel. You can also invert them directly onto a large plate or serving platter.
12. Allow the sticky buns to cool until it is no longer warm before serving.

After it comes off the heat

Give the plate the rest the method asks for. Cover leftovers and refrigerate them when the dish includes meat, eggs, or dairy.

If you want another plate from Pastries, open Cinnamon Flop for a Slow Morning and Ginger Orange Almond Biscotti after Supper.