Sticky Fingers; Sticky Kisses; Sticky Buns!

Happy Tuesday all! Mother's Day is just around the corner, and if you're anything like me, there's too much to choose from and you want to bake EVERYTHING! So let's narrow it down today and talk solely about sticky buns. YUM! I love these ooey, gooey, decadent creations. What better time to cheat on your diet with one of these luscious goodies than a day devoted to Mom?! You may commence salivating...now.

Sugary, sweet, and delicious...
Butterscotch Sticky Buns
Catherine Schimenti

Ingredients
Dough

• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter—6 tablespoons softened, 2 tablespoons melted
• 2 large eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup pecan halves

Glaze

• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons Scotch whiskey
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons crème fraîche
• 1 1/2 teaspoons corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

1. In a glass measuring cup, heat the milk in the microwave until warm, 1 minute. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the warm milk and the yeast. Add the granulated sugar and the 6 tablespoons of softened butter and mix at medium speed until the butter is broken up, 1 minute. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour and salt and mix at low speed until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and mix the dough for 2 minutes longer. Scrape the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to a 9-by-24-inch rectangle. In a small bowl, mix the light brown sugar with the cinnamon. Brush the 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the dough and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Beginning at a long edge, roll up the dough as tightly as possible and pinch the seam. Cut the log into twelve 2-inch pieces and set them in the muffin cups cut side up. Cover and let stand in a warm place for 30 minutes.
4. Set the muffin pan on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the buns are golden brown. Spread the pecans in a pie plate and toast for 10 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool, then coarsely chop the nuts.
5. In a small saucepan, bring the brown sugar, butter, Scotch, condensed milk, water, crème fraîche and corn syrup to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, vanilla and baking powder.
6. Unmold the buns. Pour the glaze over the hot buns and sprinkle with the pecans. Let stand until the buns have soaked up some of the glaze and are cool enough to eat, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Classic...

The Ultimate Sticky Buns

Melissa Roberts

Ingredients

Topping

• 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)

Buns

• 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)

Directions

For topping

1. 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.
2. 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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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).

Monster buns...

Cinnamon Bun Bundt Cake

Brent Ridge, Josh Kilmer-Purcell, and Sandy Gluck

The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Dessert Cookbook

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 envelope (1/4 ounce, 2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water (105° to 110°F)
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned into cup and leveled off)
• Vegetable oil for the bowl
• Flour for the work surface

Filling

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
• 2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

TIP When purchasing packages of yeast, be sure and check the "use by" date so you are working with yeast that is truly active. If you're uncertain about the temperature of the water you're using to activate it, use an instant-read thermometer to make sure you get to 105° to 110°F.

Directions

To make the dough: 

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in the warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
2. Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg yolks, buttermilk, and salt until well combined.
3. Beat in the yeast mixture. But in 3 1/2 cups of the flour until combined. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, adding more flour if necessary.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature until doubled in volume, about I hour. (If you've got an 8-cup or larger clear measuring cup, use this as your bowl—this makes it really easy to see if the dough has doubled.)

To prepare the filling: 

1. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll to a 12 × 18-inch rectangle. Brush weigh 3 tablespoons of the melted butter. In a small bowl, combine the 2/3 cup brown sugar, the cinnamon, and salt and sprinkle over the dough. Starting at one short end, roll into a cylinder. Cut crosswise into 10 equal pieces.
2. Brush a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan with melted butter and coat with the 3 tablespoons brown sugar. Place the pieces of dough, seam side down, around the pan, angling the pieces slightly so that no piece completely covers the swirl pattern of its neighbor. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until light and puffed, about 45 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown and well risen. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Happy baking!