Let’s Face It:

I looovveeee brown sugar.

No really, I’m serious. I will eat the stuff by itself, right out of the bag. When I was young, I would eat so much of it while my Mom and I were baking, that she would tell me that worms would grow in my stomach if I ate too much!

Clearly, that didn’t stop me, since Brown Sugar and I are still quite in love.

So, for my first blog post ever, I thought I’d indulge you. One of my favorite ways to pay homage to this lusciousness is to throw it in with some cinnamon, add some pecans, a little heavy cream, and of course, some butter, and toss the entire thing over an egg and butter-enriched dough. oh. baby. I went there.

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Pecan Sticky Buns

Taken from the Culinary Institute of America's 
Breakfasts and Brunches Cookbook

Sticky Bun Dough:

2 1/2 tsp Active Dry yeast
3/4 cup milk, warmed to 110F
4 cups bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans

Cinnamon Smear:

1/2 cup bread flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter
3 large egg whites

Pan Smear:

1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Combine yeast and milk in an electric mixer bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
2. Add 2 1/2 cups of flour, sugar, butter, eggs and salt.
Mix on low using the dough hook just until the dough comes together.
Add as much of the remaining flour to the mixture as needed so dough is no longer sticky.
3. Increase the mixer speed to develop the gluten within your dough. For my bakers out there, you’re looking for improved gluten development (the dough should form a pane, but not be too elastic). For those making this recipe at home, you want the dough to be able to stretch without easily breaking, and not be too sticky. This should take about 5-7 minutes of mixing time on a higher speed.
4. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 2 hours. Punch down and allow to rise again until double, about 1 hour.
5. While dough is rising, prepare the pan smear:

Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan and heat to 200F,
using a thermometer and stirring constantly.
Once up to temperature, let cool to room temperature.

6. and the cinnamon smear:

Mix all ingredients but the egg whites on medium speed with the paddle attachment until combined.
Add egg whites one at a time until the mixture becomes a paste.
Set aside.

7. Roll out the dough to a rectangle about 8 x 14 inches, using extra flour to keep it from sticking to the table. Brush a one-inch strip of egg wash along the edge closest to you. Spread cinnamon smear on the rest of the dough.
8. Roll the dough starting on the side opposite of the egg wash. Once rolled, seal the seams together and cut into about 12 equal rolls.
9. Pour the room-temperature pan smear in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Sprinkle the pecans on top, followed by the rolls. 10. At this point, the rolls can either be refrigerated overnight, or even frozen (make sure they come back to room temperature before baking). Otherwise, bake at 350 for about 45 minutes to one hour, checking periodically for doneness during baking. As soon as the Sticky Buns come out of the oven, invert immediately onto a sheet pan and remove the 13 x 9 pan to reveal Brown Sugar goodness!!!