Sticky buns are my obsession

Like I'm actually obSESSED with them. These are better than any store-bought sticky buns by faaaaar. So doughy and perfect.

For the dough:

4 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
3 1/2-4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the filling:

3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 pinch of salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

For my awesome glaze:

4 tablespoons salted butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

In the bowl of a standing mixer, add the eggs and half the sugar. Microwave the milk until just warm to the touch. Whisk the remaining sugar, salt, and yeast into the milk and let stand for five minutes to ensure that the yeast is good. (It should foam.) Add the milk mixture, the butter, and 3 ½ cups of the flour to the standing mixer. Fit the mixer with a dough hook and churning on medium speed until a ball of dough forms. Sprinkle with flour as needed, or until the ball separates from the sides of the bowl about 5-8 minutes. Transfer to an oiled metal bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Cover, additionally, with a dishtowel and place the bowl somewhere warm to proof for 4 hours.

Take the proofed dough and turn out onto a floured surface. Kneed a couple time and sprinkle with flour until the dough is still sticky, but workable. Roll the dough into a 16 by 12 inch rectangle about ¼ of an inch thing. Spread the dough with the tablespoon of butter. Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and salt and sprinkle evenly over the dough. Roll the dough up into a spiral log. Stretch the dough into an 18-inch cylinder. Cut the dough with a serrated knife into 12 portions. (For easy cutting, cut the log in half, then in quarters, then cut each quarter into thirds.) Arrange the 12 portions, cut side down for the two end buns, in the baking pan with the glaze, three rows by 4 columns. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.

If using refrigerated buns, remove from the fridge the night before baking or at least six hours before baking. Leave, covered, in a warm place until ready to use. This allows the buns to rise a second time. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake the proofed buns, uncovered, for about 30-35 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the buns register 170ºF on an instant-read thermometer. 

Using an electric mixer, beat together all glaze ingredients. Once the buns are out of the oven, immediately frost the tops with the glaze. Then swoon and foodgasm.

Sticky bun recipe from Bakelist, frosting by me

Best. Buns. Ever.

holy buns.

Man, I gotta start making more Cook's Illustrated recipes...

Makes twelve 3 1/2-inch buns.

For the dough:

3 large eggs at room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
4 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting work surface
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm

For the caramel glaze:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
3 tablespoons corn syrup, light or dark
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Pinch table salt

For the cinnamon sugar filling: 

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch table salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

For the pecan topping:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
3 tablespoons corn syrup , light or dark
Pinch table salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup pecans (3 ounces), toasted in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant and browned, about 5 minutes, then cooled and coarsely chopped

In bowl of standing mixer, whisk eggs to combine; add buttermilk and whisk to combine. Whisk in sugar, salt, and yeast. Add about 2 cups flour and butter; stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until evenly moistened and combined. Add all but about 1/4 cup remaining flour and knead with dough hook at low speed 5 minutes. Check consistency of dough (dough should feel soft and moist but should not be wet and sticky; add more flour, if necessary); knead at low speed 5 minutes longer (dough should clear sides of bowl but stick to bottom). Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface; knead by hand about 1 minute to ensure that dough is uniform (dough should not stick to work surface during hand kneading; if it does stick, knead in additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time).

Lightly spray large bowl or plastic container with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough to bowl, spray dough lightly with cooking spray, then cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set in warm, draftfree spot until doubled in volume, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for glaze in small saucepan; cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until butter is melted and mixture is thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into nonstick metal 13- by 9-inch baking dish; using rubber spatula, spread mixture to cover surface of baking dish. Set baking dish aside.

To assemble, store, and reheat buns: For filling, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined, using fingers to break up sugar lumps; set aside. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Gently shape dough into rough rectangle with long side nearest you. Lightly flour dough and roll to 16 by 12-inch rectangle. Brush dough with 1 tablespoon melted butter, leaving 1/2-inch border along top edge; with butter remaining on brush, brush sides of baking dish. Sprinkle filling mixture over dough, leaving 3/4-inch border along top edge; smooth filling in even layer with hand, then gently press mixture into dough to adhere. Beginning with long edge nearest you, roll dough into taut cylinder. Firmly pinch seam to seal and roll cylinder seam side down. Very gently stretch to cylinder of even diameter and 18-inch length; push ends in to create even thickness. Using serrated knife and gentle sawing motion, slice cylinder in half, then slice each half in half again to create evenly sized quarters. Slice each quarter evenly into thirds, yielding 12 buns (end pieces may be slightly smaller).

Arrange buns cut side down in prepared baking dish; cover tightly with plastic wrap and set in warm, draft-free spot until puffy and pressed against one another, about 1 1/2 hours. Place baking dish in freezer; store for up to 1 month.

To bake, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove buns from freezer, remove plastic wrap, wrap dish tightly with foil, and set on baking sheet. Bake buns for 30 minutes, then remove foil and continue to bake until golden brown and center of dough registers about 180 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes longer. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes; invert onto rimmed baking sheet, large rectangular platter, or cutting board. With rubber spatula, scrape any glaze remaining in baking dish onto buns; let cool while making pecan topping. For the topping: Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt in small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally to thoroughly combine. Off heat, stir in vanilla and pecans until pecans are evenly coated. Using soupspoon, spoon heaping tablespoon nuts and topping over center of each sticky bun. Continue to cool until sticky buns are warm, 15 to 20 minutes. Pull apart or use serrated knife to cut apart sticky buns; serve.

Published May 1, 2007 in Cook's Illustrated

Monkey bread tulips

... are quite possibly the cutest little guys out there. I have to admit, they're not too photogenic, but I can't convey enough how amazing they are. Mom rarely likes a recipe that's not her own Katharine Canfield Cookies or the occasional brownies. But this time she actually took the time to proof her own batch of dough and we made the recipe a second time together (yes, aww so cute mother/daughter bonding). They are surprisingly easy for a yeasted recipe and we super enjoyed them. I have to say, it's a Top 5 Broma Recipe right here. Yessir.

Also, I totally owe credit to Sofra because they gave me the idea based on their morning buns, which are out of this world.....


Makes 12 tulips

For the dough:

1 cup warm milk (about 110 degrees)
1/3 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 package instant (rapid rise) yeast
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for surface work
2 teaspoons salt

For the coating:

2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk 

Note: I got my tulip molds from work. If you can't find them at your baking specialty amazing everything store, normal cupcake molds will do just fine!

Place rack in middle-low position of your oven, making sure that there are no racks placed above it. Spray bundt pan generously with nonstick spray.

In a microwave-safe bowl, mix milk, water, melted butter, sugar and yeast. Place flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the dough hook attachment to mix them together. With machine on low, slowly add the milk mixture. When the dough begins to come together, increase speed to medium and continue to mix until the dough is shiny and smooth. If the dough is too wet and isn’t coming together, add 2 to 4 additional Tablespoons of flour (stop the machine once to scrape sides if you need to); this should take 6 to 7 minutes. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and work with your hands a little bit to form a smooth, round ball. Coat a large bowl with nonstick spray. Place dough in the bowl and spray the top lightly with nonstick spray as well. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel. Turn your oven on 400 degrees and let it warm up for 1 minute. Turn it OFF. Turn ON the oven light. Place your covered bowl of dough into the warmed oven until the dough doubles in size- 50 to 60 minutes.

When dough is almost done rising, prepare the ooey gooey coating. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, melt the butter. Set aside.

Remove dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat into an 8-inch square. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 256 pieces (cut the square into 4 pieces and then cut each piece into 16 pieces. Further cut those pieces into 4 pieces). Roll each piece into a ball and place on a large cookie sheet. Douse the cookie sheet in the melted butter and, using your hands, roll the butter evenly so each piece is coated. Then sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the buttered balls, again spreading things evenly until each ball is coated in a healthy dose of butter and sugar. Evenly distribute the balls into 12 buttered cupcake molds. (If you can find tulip molds at the store, more power to you. Just give them a quick spray with oil and you're ready to go!) Cover the cupcake pan with a clean dish towel, and place back into the warmed oven to let the dough balls rise for another 50 to 60 minutes (they should get puffy and rise almost to the top of the pan.)

Remove the pan from the oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the dishtowel. Bake about 30 minutes, until the top has browned and ooey gooey caramel is bubbling around the edges. Cool in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Let sit in cupcake pan for a few more minutes to cool slightly before glazing.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, use the whisk attachment to mix powdered sugar and milk. Continue to mix until lumps are gone (scrape sides of the mixing bowl, if needed). Spoon glaze over the top and sides of the monkey bread.


Serve warm and eat with your bare hands!
Recipe adapted from Recipe Girl

Cinnamon twisties

I love cinnabuns. And these are like cinnabuns but in twisty form, which makes them like four and a half times more fun to eat. Let's do it!

Makes about 14 twists

For the dough:

4 cups flour
1 package active dry yeast
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

For the filling:

1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Milk

In a large bowl stir together 1 ½ cups of flour and the yeast; set aside. In a small saucepan, heat and stir ¾ cup milk, sugar, 1/3 cup butter and salt until mixture is warm and butter almost melts. Add to flour mixture along with eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping side of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3-5 minutes). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface; cover. Let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 2 hours).

Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; cover and let rest 10 minutes. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or coat them with cooking spray; set aside. Roll dough into a rectangle.

In a small saucepan, melt ¼ cup butter over low heat. Add brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; mix well. Cool slightly and spread mixture evenly over dough. Cut dough crosswise into 1-inch strips. Fold each strip in half, end to end, and twist several times. Arrange twists 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (45 minutes).

Bake in preheated oven (375F) for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.

In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and enough milk (2-3 tablespoons) to make of drizzling consistency. Whisk until smooth and drizzle over rolls when warm.

Recipe from Pip and Ebby!