Sticky Buns

By Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1/16 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (plus more for the work surface)
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
2 tablespoons potato flour or 1/4 cup (22g) dried potato flakes (optional but makes a more tender bun)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
6 tablespoons (3 oz) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
Baking spray (butter, or vegetable shortening, for the pans and work surface)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup golden syrup or light corn syrup
1 tablespoon rum (optional)
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz) unsalted butter (melted)
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup diced pecans

Prep Time30mins
Cook Time35mins
Servings12

Instructions

Make the starter

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, water, and yeast, stirring until fairly smooth. Cover the bowl and let the mixture rest at room temperature (cooler than 75°F 24°C) overnight, or for 12 to 16 hours. The starter should be puffy and bubbly.

Make the dough

If using a mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the overnight starter with all the dough ingredients and knead until the dough is soft and smooth, 2 to 5 minutes. If kneading by hand, in a large bowl, mix the overnight starter with all the dough ingredients and knead until the dough is soft and smooth, about 7 minutes.

Cover and let the dough rise for about 1 hour; it will become slightly puffy but won't double in bulk.

While the dough is rising, prepare the pans: two 9-inch (23-cm) round cake pans or a 9-by-13-inch (23-by 33-cm) pan. Spray with nonstick pan spray or lightly grease with vegetable shortening or butter.

Make the filling

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.

Make the glaze

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the syrup, rum, if using, and melted butter. Pour the glaze into the pan, or divide it evenly between the pans if you're using 2 pans. Sprinkle the brown sugar and pecans on top of the glaze. TESTER TIP: Lining your pan(s) with parchment paper will make for easier removal of your sticky buns.

Assemble

Lightly slick your work surface with butter. Move the dough to the work surface and roll it into a rectangle approximately 14-by 20-inches (35-by 50-cm).

Spread it with the prepared filling, leaving an uncovered strip about 1 inch (25 mm) wide along one short end of the dough. Starting with the short end without the filling, roll the dough into a log and slice it into 12 slices, each about 1 to 1 1/4 inches (25 to 31 mm) wide.

Place the buns in the prepared pan(s), leaving about 1/2 inch (12-mm) between them. Cover the pan(s), and let the buns rise for 90 minutes; again, they won't rise much, they'll just seem to spread a bit.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).

Bake the buns, tenting them lightly with aluminum foil for the final 5 minutes if they appear to be browning too quickly, until golden brown, 22 to 35 minutes.

Loosen the edges of the buns with a knife, then carefully (the sugar is hot!) turn them out (upside down) onto a wire rack placed over a parchment-covered baking sheet to cool, scraping any glaze that may have stuck to the pan onto the warm buns. Serve warm or at room temperature.