A fantastic treat for Sukkot, Sunday Brunch, or any occasion when a comfort dessert is required.
This recipe makes two 9 inch round pans with 8-10 Buns per pan. The dough is what I used for the Babka recipe, the filling from classic cinnamon rolls and the pecan glaze from somewhere else. This is a great version of a classic. Try it with the apple chunks!
Dough:
3/4 cup warm milk (105–115°F)
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons active dry yeast (from two 1/4-oz packages)
2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
2 whole X large eggs
1 Xlarge egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened
Glaze:
8 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream
1 and 1/2 cups whole pecan halves
Filling:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 teaspoons cinnamon (I use Extra Fancy Vietnamese)
1 cup packed brown sugar
Alternatives
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
2 Pink Lady or Honey Crisp apples (optional) peeled and cut into slices
You will need extra butter for greasing cake pans.
To make dough; Stir together warm milk and 2 teaspoons sugar in bowl of mixer. Sprinkle yeast over mixture and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup flour to yeast mixture and beat at medium speed until combined. Add whole eggs, yolk, vanilla, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low, then, mix in remaining 2 3/4 cups flour, about 1/2 cup at a time until smooth. Increase speed to medium, then beat in butter, a few pieces at a time, and continue to beat until dough is shiny and forms strands from paddle to bowl, about 4 minutes. (Dough will be very soft and sticky.)
Scrape dough into a lightly buttered bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours.
While the dough rises prepare two 9 inch cake pans. First grease pans with extra butter. Melt together brown sugar and butter in a small heavy bottom saucepan. Add cream and mix until all is incorporated over low heat. Do not boil. Remove from heat and divide evenly between two cake pans. Place pecan halves over the glaze in a pattern or randomly, dividing pecans evenly between two pans. Set pans aside.
Divide dough into two pieces once it has risen. Each piece can be rolled out to an 11 X 16 inch rectangle . I prefer to roll dough out on a large Silpat. Once you have a large even rectangle, spread it with 3 tablespoons of soft butter. Spread butter to within 1/ 2 inch of edges.
Sprinkle 1 and 1/ 2 teaspoons cinnamon over dough. Next scatter brown sugar over surface. Beginning on the long end roll up dough into a tight cylinder. Pinch seam shut. Using the palms of your hands pat ends of cylinders to compact them and make that last piece more even.
Slice each cylinder into 8 to 10 buns. You can use a knife, but to avoid tearing the delicate dough, try a scissor or some dental floss or string that you slip underneath, cross and tighten. As you cut rolls/buns , place them one by one in prepared pans. Leave room for them to rise again. Cover pans loosely with a tea towel and allow them to raise for another 30 to 60 min.
Heat oven to 350°F. When buns have risen, place pans in oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until dark golden brown.
Remove pans from oven and promptly invert onto a platter or cooling rack using mitts so as not burn yourself. Buns will come loose and come out with the hot glaze on top. Great with Coffee or hot chocolate .
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