Vegan Pecan Sticky Buns Food

THE WORLD'S EASIEST STICKY BUNS

Steps:

• In a large sauce pan (or in a bowl in the microwave at 30 sec increments), heat the almond milk and vegan butter until warm and melted, never reaching boiling. Remove from heat and let cool to 110 degrees (43C), or the temperature of bath water. It should be warm but not too hot or it will kill the yeast.
• Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle on yeast. Let activate for 10 minutes, then add sugar and the salt and stir (you should see some foaming / bubbling if the yeast is fresh and the water temperature is correct).
• Next add in flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring as you go. The dough will be sticky. When it is too thick to stir, transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or so until it forms a loose ball, adding more flour as you go and as it will absorb. Rinse your mixing bowl out, coat it with avocado oil or other neutral oil, and add your dough ball back in. Roll around to coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• While dough is rising, prepare sticky glaze by mixing butter and brown sugar and spreading it in an even layer on the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish (adjust if altering batch size). Top with pecans and set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a thin rectangle. Brush with melted vegan butter and top with brown sugar (or granulated sugar) and cinnamon.
• Starting at one end, tightly roll up the dough and situate seam side down. Then with a serrated knife or a string of floss, cut the dough into 1.5 - 2 inch sections and position in your 8x8 dish with the glaze layer on the bottom (you should have about 10 rolls as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Cover with plastic wrap and set on top of the oven to let it briefly rise again while you preheat oven to 350 degrees (176 C).
• Once the oven is hot, bake rolls for 25-30 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes, carefully invert, and then serve immediately.

PECAN STICKY BUNS

Steps:

• Place the yeast and warm water in a small bowl and stir with a fork to dissolve the yeast. Allow it to stand for about 3 minutes.
• Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the warm water and the yeast mixture and stir with your fingers to moisten the flour, scraping the sides of the bowl and folding the dough over itself until it gathers into a shaggy mass.
• Move the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it by hand for 5 minutes. This is a soft, moist dough. If the dough seems too stiff and hard to knead, add extra warm water 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a nice malleable dough. Gently shape the dough into a loose ball, cover it with plastic, and let it rest on the table for 20 minutes. (This rest period is the autolyse.)
• Gently knead the dough on the lightly floured surface for 1 to 2 more minutes, or until it becomes smooth, supple, and elastic but not too firm. The texture of the dough should be soft but springy. Shape the dough into a loose ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and turn to coat the top with oil. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature (75 to 77 degrees F) until it has doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• While the dough is rising; in a small saucepan, heat the 9 tablespoons butter and the dark brown sugar over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the sugar is completely moistened (it won't be dissolved), then whisk until the mixture looks silky and a little lighter in color. Use 1 tablespoon softened butter to grease the sides of a 9-inch square pan, then pour in the caramel, tilting the pan slightly so the mixture spreads evenly over the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the toasted pecans over the warm caramel and press them down slightly. Put the pan in the refrigerator to cool the caramel; be the pan's on a level surface. Put the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir until evenly mixed. Set aside.
• When the dough has doubled, gently pour it out of the bowl onto the floured work surface. Flatten the dough and stretch it with your fingers to form a 13 by 10-inch rectangle, with a longside facing you. Work gently so you don't tear the dough surface. The dough should stretch easily at this point, but if it resists, let it rest for 5 minutes and resume stretching. Check to be sure the dough isn't sticking to the work surface; flour the table again, if necessary.
• Spread 3 tablespoons of the softened butter evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch strip unbuttered along the top edge. Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture generously and evenly over the butter, again leaving the top 1/2-inch of the rectangle bare. Starting with the bottom edge, roll up the dough jelly-roll fashion into a long log. If the dough sticks to the table as you're rolling, use a dough scraper to loosen it gently. Pinch gently but firmly along the seam to seal it. If necessary, gently shape the roll so it is a nice uniform log.
• Take the caramel-lined pan out of the refrigerator. Cut the log of dough into 9 equal pieces. (It's easiest to mark the roll first to show where you're going to make the cuts--a slight indentation with the knife edge will do--then use a sharp serrated knife to cut completely through the dough.) Lay the pieces cut side down on top of the caramel. Don't worry if it's a tight fit. Let rise, uncovered, at room temperature until the dough has almost doubled, about 1 to 1 1/4 hours. The rolls should fill the pan and extend 1/2 to 3/4-inch above it. In the meantime, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the pan of sticky buns on a foil-lined baking sheet and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes longer, until the tops of the buns are golden brown and crusty. It's important to bake the buns long enough so the dough is cooked all the way through and the caramel topping develops properly. Set the pan of buns on a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Then quickly but carefully turn the pan upside-down and release the sticky buns onto a large flat heatproof plate. Immediately scrape out any hot caramel remaining in the bottom of the pan and spread it on the tops of the buns, filling in any bare spots. Let them cool until just warm before serving. (Clean the pan by soaking it in very hot water to dissolve the caramel.) Store any leftovers covered in plastic wrap at room temperature.

KILLER PECAN STICKY BUNS

Steps:

• Dough:.
• Combine water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl; stir to combine. Let stand in a warm place until small bubbles form on the surface, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat milk, 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, salt, and remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar in a small saucepan over very low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar has dissolved and butter has melted. Be sure not to let the mixture become hotter than 115°, or it will kill the yeast. Remove from heat, and pour into a large bowl; add the yeast mixture. Stir until combined. Add 6 cups flour, and stir until mixture forms a soft dough. It may be necessary to add the remaining 1/2 cup flour.
• Transfer mixture to a lightly floured work surface, and knead until the dough is smooth, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, and place dough in bowl. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes. At this point, dough may be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Allow dough to reach room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.
• Punch dough down, and divide equally in half. Place on a clean work surface, and cover loosely with a kitchen towel or inverted bowl. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Sticky Buns:.
• Butter two 9-inch round glass baking dishes with 2-4 tablespoons butter; set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine raisins and bourbon, and let soak until plumped, about 20 minutes.
• In a second small bowl, combine cinnamon, 1 cup brown sugar, and remaining 12 tablespoons butter; set aside.
• In a third small bowl, combine remaining 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, honey, and pecans. Spread half of mixture evenly in each prepared baking dish; set aside.
• Roll each half of dough into a 12 inch by 6-inch rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Spread half of the brown sugar and butter mixture evenly over each half of dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Drain raisins, and sprinkle over brown-sugar mixture. Beginning with the long side of the dough, roll each half into a log. Place the logs, seam side down, on a clean work surface. Using a sharp knife, cut the logs crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Transfer slices, cut side down, to prepared baking dishes (the slices should fit snugly). Set aside in a warm place, and allow to rise until slightly puffy, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place baking dishes on a baking sheet with sides and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the buns are golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Let cool for 5 minutes. While still warm, place a plate over baking dish. Invert baking dish to unmold. Serve warm or at room temperature.

VEGAN STICKY BUNS

Steps:

• Make the paste:.
• Stir the ¼ cup of flour and 1/3 cup water together in a small pot. Place over a medium heat on the stove and cook until the mixture has thickened into a stiff paste. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• Make the dough:.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast and lukewarm water. Let it stand for 10 minutes until bubbly. Add the cooled paste you made earlier, the flour, sugar, salt and vegetable oil to the bowl of the stand mixer. With the dough hook attached, knead the dough in the mixer for 6 minutes on a medium speed until smooth and elastic. Pour a little bit of extra oil into the bowl and turn the dough so that the oil coats the dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Make the topping:.
• Cream the butter and sugar together in a medium bowl. Scoop out 1/3 cup of this mixture and place into a separate bowl - to this 1/3 cup of mixture add the maple syrup and stir until smooth then stir in the walnuts.
• Dot this walnut mixture over a deep 9x13-inch baking pan and place into the oven - turn the oven on to 350 F and leave the pan in there until the mixture has melted. Remove from the oven and spread the mixture over the base of the pan so it's evenly coated.
• To the remaining butter-sugar mixture, add the cinnamon and flour. Stir together until smooth.
• Shape the rolls:.
• Roll the dough out to a 18 x 12-inch rectangle. Spread the cinnamon-butter mixture you made earlier over the surface of the dough. Starting at the short edge, roll the dough up into a log. Cut into 12 equal pieces and place cut side down into the prepared baking tray.
• Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 30-40 minutes in a warm place until almost doubled in volume. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Uncover the rolls, bake for 25-30 minutes until golden on top. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edges of the buns to loosen then flip out onto a baking tray whilst still hot. Let cool and then serve.

PECAN STICKY BUNS

Steps:

• Divide the dough in half and keep one half covered in the refrigerator while you work with the other.
• On a lightly floured work surface (marble is best), roll the dough into a rectangle 11x13-inch and 1/4-inch thick.
• Try to work quickly because the dough is so active that even the warmth of your hands may be enough to get it rising again.
• Dot the surface of the dough evenly with half of the butter (3/4 of a stick/6 tablespoons) and fold thee dough in thirds, as if you were folding a business letter.
• Turn the dough so that the closed fold is to your left and roll it out again, being careful not to roll over the edges.
• Fold th dough in thirds again, wrap well in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Repeat the rolling, dotting with the other half of the butter, folding and chilling with the other half of the dough.
• Now the filling:.
• Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
• Remove the first piece of dough from the fridge and, on a lightly floured work surface, roll it into a rectangle 11x13-inch and 1/4-inch thick.
• Using a pastry brush, paint th surface of the dough with no more than half the beaten egg.
• Leaving the top quarter of the dough bare, sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar, half the raisins and half the pecans (or whatever you choose to use) over the dough, spreading as evenly as possible.
• Very lightly roll your rolling pin over the filling to press it into the dough.
• Starting from the base of the rectangle, roll the dough up into a log.
• Wrap the log up in plastic and freeze until firm, 45 minutes to one hour, so it will be easy to cut.
• Repeat the filling process with the second piece of dough.
• Note: the sticky bun logs can now be double wrapped and kept in the freezer for up to a month. If left to freeze solid, they should rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before you continue with the recipe.
• While the logs are chilling, prepare the pans.
• You will need two 9-inch round cake pans with high sides.
• Using your fingers, press one stick (4 ounces/8 tablespoons) of the softened butter evenly over the bottom of each pan; then sprinkle half the brown sugar evenly over the butter in each pan.
• Now shape the buns.
• Remove a log of dough from the freezer and, if the ends are ragged, trim them.
• Using a long sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice the log into seven slices (about 1 and 1/2 inch wide).
• Lay each slice on one of its flat sides, press the slice down with the palm of your hand to flatten it slightly, and then, with cupped hands, turn the slice around on the work surface two or three times to reestablish its round shape.
• Press three pecan halves, flat side up, onto the top of each slice so that the nuts form a triangle.
• Holding onto the nuts as best you can, turn the slices over (nuts on the bottom) into the prepared pan, placing six of the buns in a circle and the seventh in the center; the seams of the buns should face the outside of the pan.
• Repeat with the second log of dough.
• Allow the pans of sticky buns to rest, uncovered, at room temperature for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the slices rise and grow to touch one another.
• Arrange the oven racks so that one rack is in the middle of the oven and the other is just below it and pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
• Put the pans of sticky buns on the middle rack and slip a foil or parchment lined sheet pan onto the rack beneath (to catch any dripping caramel).
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
• As soon as you remove the pans from the oven, invert them onto a serving dish (if you let them sit in the pans the sugar mixture will harden and you will have to re-heat the pans to get the buns out).
• Note: Be VERY careful. The brown sugar and butter mixture is molten and can result in very nasty burns. Also, don't serve until they have had a chance to cool a bit.
• These really are best the day they are made.