Sticky Buns

By west757

Here's another variation on a universal favorite. These particular buns are ultra-sticky, due to the special sugar* used in the topping (or is it "bottoming"?)
*available from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

• Dough
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup Baker's Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• Filling
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• Glaze
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup Sticky Bun Sugar mixed with 1/2 cup brown sugar

Details

Servings 16
Adapted from kingarthurflour.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all of the dough ingredients, mixing to form a shaggy dough. Knead the dough, by hand or by machine, for 10 minutes. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes, then knead for an additional 10 minutes, till it's smooth and supple (though still somewhat sticky). Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, and allow it to rest for 1 1/2 hours; it'll become quite puffy, though it may not double in bulk. You may also use your bread machine, set on the Dough cycle, to prepare the dough to this point.

Shaping and Filling: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured or oiled work surface, and roll it into a 16-x-12-inch rectangle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons soft butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon mixture. Starting with a long edge, roll the dough into a 16-inch log. Slice the log into 16 pieces.

Glaze: Spread the melted butter in a 12-inch square pan, 14-inch round pan, or two 9-inch round pans. Sprinkle with the pecans, then the sugar mixture. Place the buns in the prepared pan, cut sides down. Cover the pan and allow the buns to rise till doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Bake the sticky buns in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, tenting them with aluminum foil for the final 15 minutes to prevent over-browning. Remove the buns from the oven and invert them onto a cooling rack. Scrape any of the sticky topping that has remained in the pan onto the buns.