Caramel-pecan Sticky Buns - Recipe #67

So for those of you that don't know, one of our favorite things to do when sailing is to find a bakery or cafe and eat cinnamon rolls. Two summers ago, we sailed to Ladysmith solely because the entry in the sail book told us they had a bakery known for cinnamon rolls. While normally we get one and split it, this time we went two days in a row and each got a different variety of cinnamon roll, tasting the 4 that we were most excited about. Over Martin Luther King Day weekend, we stayed on Whidbey Island and stopped at Knead and Feed for ¨cinnamon rolls on the Salish Sea¨. We are hooked, which is probably why I have several cinnamon-roll style recipe set aside. Another Cooking Light flashback - this time from October 2005. So sticky, I had to wipe caramel and pecans from my potholders. While I'll make this recipe again, I will not make the mistake of using an 8x8 pan instead of 9x9 - there really wasn't enough space in the pan and we had one coil of roll jump into the oven, while the middle was a bit underdone. That said, I'm wondering if one of my next cooking challenges will be trying a different sweet bun recipe each month.

Caramel-pecan Sticky Bun

Caramel:

• 1/3 c. packed dark brown muscovado sugar or dark brown sugar
• 3 T. butter
• 4 t. light corn syrup (an ingredient that normally languishes in my cupboard)
• Cooking spray
• 2 T. chopped pecans

Dough:

• 1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 t.)
• 1 2/3 c. warm water (100-110 degrees)
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 5 1/4 c. all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/3 c. granulated sugar
• 1 t. ground cinnamon
• 2 T. butter, softened

To prepare caramel, combine first 3 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stir frequently until butter melts. Continue cooking until mixture thickens and becomes smooth (about 1 minute), stirring constantly. Remove from heat; pour into center of a 9 inch square baking pan; quickly spread caramel onto pan bottom using a spatula coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with pecans, cool to room temperature. Lightly coat sides of pan with cooking spray.

To prepare dough, dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes, stir in salt.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 5 c. flour to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 min); add enough of remaining flour, 1 T. at a time to keep dough from sticking to hands.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.

Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.

Roll dough into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface; spread 2 tablespoons of softened butter over dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Roll up rectangle tightly, starting with long edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends). Cut into 16 (1 inch wide) slices. Place slices, cut sides up, in prepared pan (rolls will be crowded). Cover and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375. Bake for 20 minutes or until rolls are light golden brown. Cool in pan 5 minutes on rack. Place a serving platter upside down on top of pan; invert onto platter. Serve warm.