May 27, 2008

TWD- Pecan Honey Sticky Buns

Brioche was the first recipe I made when I joined TWD so I was really excited to get to make it again with this recipe! Since I've made it a few times since, I knew the drill of holding the KitchenAid while it was kneading the bread. And, I'm not sure if this helps but I put an ice pack on the top where it started to get hot. Fine, I'll admit it, I LOVE my KitchenAid. I almost named this blog "KitchenAiding and Abetting".

With all the fabulous buttery dough, I made one batch of Sticky Buns and one batch of Brioche Snails with Chocolate and Heath Toffee Bits. They both tasted good and my husband ate three of the snails right out of the oven before I even wrapped them up. They are that good.

I used Dental floss to cut the rolls and it was super easy and quick. The pecans were amazing, too (and you can ask anyone I know... I don't even really like nuts). I thought these sticky buns were even tastier than cinnamon rolls with only a little more effort. I took them to a BBQ and they got the "Make it again" review from everyone. Another winner from Dorie! Thanks for choosing them Madam Chow! Be sure to check out everyone's take on the Sticky Buns. Yum! Thanks again to Dorie for the amazing recipes. If you haven't bought her book yet, head to Amazon right now! It's only $12.99 and worth it's weight, all four something pounds, in gold!

Pecan Honey Sticky Buns
From Baking by Dorie Greenspan
For the Glaze:
1 C. (packed) light brown sugar (I always use dark)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 C. honey
1 1/2 C. pecans (whole or pieces)

For the Filling:
1/4 C. sugar
3 T. (packed) light brown sugar
1 T. ground cinnamon
3 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the Buns:
1/2 recipe dough for Golden Brioche loaves (see below), chilled and ready to shape (make the full recipe and cut the dough in half after refrigerating it overnight)

Generously butter a 9-x-13-inch baking pan (a Pyrex pan is perfect for this).

To make the glaze: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the brown sugar, butter, and honey to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Pour the glaze into the buttered pan, evening it out as best you can by tilting the pan or spreading the glaze with a heatproof spatula. Sprinkle over the pecans.

To make the filling: Mix the sugars and cinnamon together in a bowl. If necessary, in another bowl, work the butter with a spatula until it is soft, smooth and spreadable.

To shape the buns: On a flour-dusted work surface, roll the chilled dough into a 16-inch square. Using your fingers or a pastry brush, spread the softened butter over the dough. Sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar, leaving a 1-inch strip bare on the side farthest from you. Starting with the side nearest you, roll the dough into a cylinder, keeping the roll as tight as you can. (At this point, you can wrap the dough airtight and freeze it for up to 2 months . . . . Or, if you want to make just part of the recipe now, you can use as much of the dough as you'd like and freeze the remainder. Reduce the glaze recipe accordingly).

With a chef's knife, using a gentle sawing motion, trim just a tiny bit from the ends of the roll if they're very ragged or not well filled, then cut the log into 1-inch thick buns. (Because you trim the ragged ends of the dough, and you may have lost a little length in the rolling, you will get 15 buns, not 16.) Fit the buns into the pan cut side down, leaving some space between them.

Lightly cover the pan with a piece of wax paper and set the pan in a warm place until the buns have doubled in volume, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. The buns are properly risen when they are puffy, soft, doubled and, in all likelihood, touching one another.

Getting ready to bake: When the buns have almost fully risen , center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove the sheet of wax paper and put the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Bake the sticky buns for about 30 minutes, or until they are puffed and gorgeously golden; the glaze will be bubbling away merrily. Pull the pan from the oven.

The sticky buns must be unmolded minutes after they come out of the oven. If you do not have a rimmed platter large enough to hold them, use a baking sheet lined with a silicone mate or buttered foil. Be careful - the glaze is super-hot and super-sticky.
Golden Brioche Loaves
2 packets active dry yeast (or about 2 1/2 t. per packet)
1/3 C. just-warm-to-the-touch water
1/3 C. just-warm-to-the-touch whole milk
3 2/3 C. all-purpose flour
2 t. salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 C. sugar
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature but still slightly firm

To Make The Brioche: Put the yeast, water and milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and, using a wooden spoon, stir until the yeast is dissolved. Add the flour and salt, and fit into the mixer with the dough hook, if you have one. Toss a kitchen towel over the mixer, covering the bowl as completely as you can-- this will help keep you, the counter and your kitchen floor from being showered in flour. Turn the mixer on and off a few short pulses, just to dampen the flour (yes, you can peek to see how you're doing), then remove the towel, increase the mixer speed to medium-low and mix for a minute or two, just until the flour is moistened. At this point, you'll have a fairly dry, shaggy mess.

Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, set the mixer to low and add the eggs, followed by the sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes, until the dough forms a ball. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter in 2-tablespoon-size chunks, beating until each piece is almost incorporated before adding the next. You'll have a dough that is very soft, almost like batter. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a clean bowl (or wash out the mixer bowl and use it), cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, 40 to 60 minutes, depending upon the warmth of your room.

Deflate the dough by lifting it up around the edges and letting it fall with a slap to the bowl. Cover the bowl with the plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator. Slap the dough down in the bowl every 30 minutes until it stops rising, about 2 hours, then leave the uncovered dough in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

For complete directions for the Brioche Raisin (or in my case Chocolate) Snails or the Brioche loaves, check out these previous posts.

Tuesdays with Dorie- Brioche Raisin Snails
TWD- Brioche Snails Redo

37 comments:

  1. These are beautiful! You got them so even. Great idea about the ice-pack - I will follow this next time I make brioche.

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  2. I also like the dough, your buns look great, just to bite in.

    Ulrike from Küchenlatein

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  3. KitchenAiding and Abetting - I love it!

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  4. In news today, Miss Anne makes it socially acceptable to yell, "Hey baby! Nice buns!"

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  5. Gorgeous! I like the ice pack trick - anything to coddle our KitchenAids, right? They work so hard for us...

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  6. I like the ice pack idea cos that kitchenaid does get hot with the dough! Great job on the buns and snails!

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  7. They look great! good job on this one, well every week for that matter!

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  8. Your dough spiral looks so amazing and even. I LOL at your proposed blog title.

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  9. "KichenAiding and Abetting"! I LOVE it! I just wish I'd thought of it!

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  10. Gorgeous! But I can't believe you mentioned the snails. Now, I want them. ;)

    Rebecca
    http://www.ezrapoundcake.com

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  11. Thanks everyone for your sweet comments! Tuesdays are my favorite day now lol.

    As for KitchenAiding and Abetting, I totally would have gone for it except I used to work at a PR firm and I was scared some one from KitchenAid would find me and hunt me down like I used to see happen at work!

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  12. Great job! Great tip with the ice pack!

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  13. Oh gosh, I just gained ten pounds and that was just from looking at your pictures. Well done. Your buns are beautiful!

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  14. I really have to try those snails they look delicious! And so do your sticky buns! :)

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  15. You must be the most popular person in your neighborhood - a batch of each! Wow! Great job.

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  16. Toffee bits? ooohhh now I wanna make the snails again with toffee bits. I bet that was SO good. Great job! ps. funny blog name - aiding and abetting. HAHA!
    Clara @ I♥food4thought

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  17. i wonder if the ice pack would have saved my doomed KA mixer...?!?! your buns look FAB.

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  18. Well done! They look positively delicious.

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  19. Your buns look delish! And thanks for the tip about the ice pack!

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  20. They all look great. The heath/chocolate combination sounds great.

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  21. Oh wow, that first picture is amazing looking. Congratulations on the good review.

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  22. Your buns look fabulous! I love your almost blog name!

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  23. your buns are rolled up so perfectly! and they came out looking oh so delish!

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  24. I'm glad you had lots of people to help you eat everything. The thought of having both the sticky buns and the snails around at the same time scares me. =) Both look fabulous!

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  25. YUM! At the last minute, I decided not to do the snails...your photos have inspired me to make them...I have dough in the freezer...guess what's for breakfast next weekend!

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  26. Ooooohhh, your buns look ooey-gooey-licious! Well done!

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  27. Cutting with dental floss...I wouldn't have thought of that. I knew it did a great job when trying to cut through cheese, but I wouldn't have decided to use it for this dough. Good to see that I wasn't the only one that made a batch of raisin snails to tag along :-)

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  28. An ice pack for the KA is a great idea! Mine heated up and stopped a few times!Shari@Whisk: a food blog

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  29. toffee snails? yum!

    your sticky buns look great too! my KA did not dance like everyone elses...but i never turned it up that high

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  30. Um, yeah. I could totally be all over those brioche snails with toffee bits in them. Great job, Anne!

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  31. 35 comments? Your blog is a little bit popular my dear. And so are your brioche rolls. Mmmm... And you can bring brownies to my house anytime of the night if they are going to be THAT good! :o)

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  32. hahaha- KitchenAid and Abetting! That's so fantastic! The honey buns look beautiful.

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