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Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups chopped pecans (about 8 ounces)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (optional)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- Master Sweet Dough, chilled for 2 hours
- All-purpose flour (for dusting)
- 1 large egg
- Coarse sea salt (such as Maldon)
- Special equipment: An 8x8x2" metal baking pan
Details
Servings 9
Adapted from epicurious.com
Preparation
Step 1
Preparation
For topping:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Spread out nuts on a rimmed
baking sheet. Toast until fragrant
and slightly darkened, 10-12
minutes. Let cool completely. Set
1 1/4 cups nuts aside for buns.
Melt butter in a small heavy
saucepan over medium heat. Stir
in brown sugar, cream, honey,
salt, and orange zest, if using.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to
medium, and simmer until glaze
is golden brown and glossy, 3-4
minutes. Pour 1 cup of glaze
into baking pan, tilting to coat
bottom and sides. Set aside
remaining glaze. Sprinkle 1/2 cup
toasted pecans over bottom of
baking pan and let cool.
For buns:
Using an electric mixer
on medium speed, beat butter,
sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and
kosher salt in a medium bowl
until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
Set filling aside.
Punch down dough; transfer
to a floured work surface. Lightly
dust top with flour. Follow
instructions in Cooks' Notes, for assembling buns
with filling and 3/4 cup pecans. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day
ahead. Cover and chill buns and
remaining glaze separately.
Store remaining pecans airtight
at room temperature.
Loosely cover pan with plastic
wrap or a kitchen towel. Let buns
rise in a warm, draft-free area
until doubled in size, 45 minutes
to 1 hour, or 1 1/2-2 hours if dough
has been chilled overnight.
Arrange a rack in middle of
oven; preheat to 350°F. Whisk
egg with 1/2 teaspoon water in a small
bowl. Brush tops of buns with
egg wash. Bake, rotating pan
halfway through and tenting
with foil if browning too quickly,
until buns are golden brown,
filling is bubbling, and an instant-read
thermometer inserted into
center of buns registers 185°F,
about 50 minutes. Let cool for
5 minutes. Spoon remaining
glaze over. Sprinkle 1/2 cup
pecans over. Let cool in pan on
a wire rack.
Lightly sprinkle sea salt over.
Serve buns warm or at room
temperature.
Cooks' Notes:
1. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12x16" rectangle about 1/4" thick. Arrange the dough on the work surface so one long side faces you. Spread the cinnamon-sugar mixture over dough, leaving a 1" plain
border on the side farthest from you.
2. Sprinkle 3/4 cup chopped pecans over the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Beginning with the long edge closest to you, roll dough into a log, tightening as you roll, and patting in ends if they begin to taper. Pinch
together the seam where the long side meets the roll to seal. Arrange the
log seam side down on the work surface.
3. Using a large knife, cut the log crosswise into 9 equal pieces. Lightly flour the knife between slices if the dough is too sticky. Turn the buns
cut side up and gently pat the top to flatten slightly. If needed, reshape
to form round edges by cupping lightly floured hands around each bun and gently pushing and turning them in a circular motion. Place the buns in prepared pan; space them evenly apart (buns should not touch each other).
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