Saturday, July 23, 2011

The Ultimate Sticky Buns




I love to bake. While I'm not always the best at somethings....Pie crust you foil me again! There are some things that I rock at... Ultimate Sticky Buns being one of them. The recipe is brought to you courtesy of Cook's Illustrated All Time Best Recipes.

I've subscribed to other magazines, I've used other cookbooks. I should know better, because time and time again I end up back with Cooks Illustrated materials they are the best, especially when they use color pictures.

The dough is twice raised, which means they are twice as yummy and will be eaten twice as quickly!

The recipes makes 12, 3 1/2 inch buns

Dough:
3 large eggs @ room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk @ room temp.
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 envelope instant yeast
4 1/4 cups unbleached flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Carmel Glaze
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons corn syrup (light/dark)
2 table spoons heavy cream
Pinch of salt

Cinnamon-Sugar Filling
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of salt
1 table spoon melted butter

The recipe also has a pecan topping, which I skipped because I thought the carmel glaze would be enough and...it was :)

Making the dough
1. Using a stand mixer, whisk eggs then add buttermilk. Add in the sugar, salt and yeast. Add 2 cups flour and butter, use a spatula to even out dough. Add all but 1/4 cup of the flour. Use the dough hook and knead on low for about 5 minutes. Be sure to check dough, add flour if too sticky. Knead 5 minutes longer. Place dough on floured surface, knead by hand for about 1 minute. Spray large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Put dough in bowl and light spray top of dough. Cover with plastic wrap tightly and set in a warm place until doubled in size about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

2. Make glaze.
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat on medium whisking until butter is melted and mixture is combined. Pour glaze into 13x9 nonstick metal baking pan, tilt pan and use spatula to cover the surface.

3. Assemble and bake.
Combine all dry ingredients in the filling. Turn dough out on floured surface. Stretch dough into a rectangle then roll out until it measures 16x12. Brush dough with 1 tablespoon of the filling butter. Leave a 1/2 inch around the edge for sealing the buns. Also brush side of baking dish. Place filling mixture evenly over the dough. Begin rolling the dough starting on the 16" side. Roll the dough until the seam is down and the roll is pushing down on it. Flip dough and pinch the end of the dough and the roll together. Flip back on its seem. Cut log in half, then in quarters using a serrated knife. Cut each quarter into 3 buns.

Arrange and rise
4. Arrange the buns in a 4x3 array in your metal pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap until puffy and pressed against each other about 1 1/2 hours. (If making these ahead of time you can "proof them for the 1 1/2, then refrigerate till the next morning) Put oven rack in lowest position. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

When ready to put buns in, lower temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until golden brown, or internal temp is at 180 degrees about 25-30 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 10 mins. Invert the pan onto a cutting board or large plate. Scrape extra glaze on to buns.

5. Pull apart and serve, eat quick because they'll go quick!



** Buns can be refrigerated in plastic wrap for up to 3 days. Reheat in microwave about 2 mins or in the oven 325 degrees for 8 minutes.**

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