Pecan Sticky Buns

These buns are delicious, soft, sticky and sweet.  Definitely a staple recipe for your yeast repertoire!

Recipe adapted from: The Boy Who Bakes
Ingredients - brioche
70mL milk
1 tbsp honey
1 packet dry instant yeast (7g)
150g plain flour
150g bread flour
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
125g butter (room temperature)

Ingredients - topping
75g butter
100g brown sugar
Pinch of salt
75mL cream
25mL water
(Instead of this topping, I used leftover butterscotch sauce from sticky date pudding)
75g pecans

Ingredients - filling
75g brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
30g butter

Method - brioche
1. Microwave the milk until it's lukewarm.  Mix the honey and yeast into the milk and let it sit for a minute.

2. Combine the yeast mixture with the plain flour, bread flour, salt and eggs - mix until combined.  I used my Kitchenaid with the dough hook attachment.  Knead at low-medium speed for a few minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

3. Chop the butter into small pieces and, while the mixer is running, add the butter a few pieces at a time.  Once all of the butter is added, knead the dough for a few more minutes until smooth and the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.

4. Grease a bowl lightly with butter or oil and place the dough in, then cover with cling wrap and let it sit in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in size.  You can also refrigerate this overnight.

5. When your dough has risen (or, if you refrigerated it, you're ready to bake the buns), make the topping and filling.

Method - topping
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sugar and mix until combined.

2. Reduce the heat to low and add the salt and cream, simmer for a minute.

3. Take the pan off the heat and add the water.

4. Once this is all mixed, set it aside to cool.

5. Chop the pecans roughly and set aside.  You can toast these for some extra crunch if you want!

Method - filling
1. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.

2. Melt the butter.

Method - assembly
1. Lightly flour a clean work surface and tip the dough out, pat it into a rectangle with your hands.

2. Flour the dough lightly and roll it out to about a 40x50cm rectangle.

3. Brush the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mix over it evenly.

4. Roll the dough into a log from the long edge (so you get a long log).

5. Cut the log into about 12 slices.

6. Butter two 6-hole muffin tins (these tins have bigger recesses than regular cupcake tins) - you can use a large round tin as well.  I used one muffin tin and one large round silicon cake pan.

7. Pour the caramel topping evenly between your baking tins and top with the chopped pecans.

8. Place your buns into the muffin tins so the cut side is facing up.

9. Cover the tins with cling wrap and let them rise for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.  Preheat your oven to 170C (340F).

10. The caramel topping may bubble over the sides of your muffin tins, so just in case, place the tins on baking trays lined with baking paper to catch any spills.  This wasn't an issue for me but better safe than sorry!

Bake the buns for about 35 minutes, or until they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.  If you're using a cake tin with the buns smooshed together rather than separated in muffin tins, you may need to bake a bit longer.

11. Let the buns cool for a few minutes in the tins and then invert onto a plate.

These buns are best served while fresh and warm (though be careful, the caramel is very hot straight out of the oven!)  If it's been a day or two, just heat them in the microwave for 10-20 seconds to get that softness back.

Enjoy!