Ooey-Gooey Sticky Buns

When you have a houseful for the holidays, a morning treat is special touch. My mother would make ooey-gooey caramel-pecan sticky buns for special mornings and brunches. You can make these the night before (refrigerate and bring to room temp) and bake in the morning. The smell of cinnamon wafting through the house will have even your most jet-lagged visitor walking into the kitchen with a smile.

Caramel-Pecan Sticky Buns

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 roll)

Ingredients

Caramel:
1/3  cup  packed dark brown muscovado sugar or dark brown sugar
3  tablespoons  butter
4  teaspoons  light corn syrup
Cooking spray
2  tablespoons  chopped pecans
Dough:
1  package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 2/3  cups  warm water (100° to 110°)
1 1/2  teaspoons  salt
5 1/4  cups  all-purpose flour, divided (about 23 1/2 ounces)
1/3  cup  granulated sugar
1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
2  tablespoons  butter, softened

Preparation

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 the 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 cups flour to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon 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°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) 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. (A) 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 at 375° 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.

Source: myrecipes.com  Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2005

Mama Says: Time saving tip: If you don’t have time make homemade dough you can use 1  loaf (1/2 2-pound package) frozen white-bread (not pizza) dough, thawed. Divide the dough into 16 small balls. Place dough balls on top of the caramel mixture in the prepared 9-inch baking pan (rolls will be crowded). Bake as noted.