Wicked Good Pecan Rolls

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you enjoy ooey, gooey, warm and chewy sweets, these rolls are meant for you. I made a large batch of them this week as a pre-Lenten treat for our neighbors and the Silver Fox. I also managed to freeze some for brunch on Easter Sunday. This recipe is another that I've pieced together from various sources. Rather than make a brioche dough, I used one developed for a challah that appeared in The New York Times Bread and Soup Cookbook. The recipe is a golden oldie, but it makes a gorgeous egg bread that is hard to beat. When I make challah I divide the dough, using half for bread and half for sweet rolls of one type or another. This is a dough that can be made with a stand mixer, so, while some kneading is required, I would classify it as easy to prepare. The filling is one I learned to make as a child and the topping comes Mark McGough who developed it for Martha Stewart. This is a very rich pastry that is made in Texas-sized muffin pans. If you prefer more modest bites, standard muffin pans can be used, though they will cook more quickly. My only caution, large or small, is to make certain the rolls are done before you remove them from the oven. Once they're out of the oven the pans should be inverted before the topping has time to set. This recipe makes wonderful rolls. If you like pecan rolls or sticky buns, you'll love these. Here are the composite recipes.

Pecan Rolls...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite with some help from Mark McGough

Ingredients:
Dough
5-1/2 to 6-1/2 cups flour, unsifted
3 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
Pinch of powdered saffron for color (optional)
1 cup warm water
4 eggs, at room temperature
Filling
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Topping
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
1-1/2 cups pecan or walnut pieces
1/4 cup corn syrup

Directions:
1) To make dough: Combine 1-1/4 cups of flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Mix in softened butter. if using, stir saffron into warm water until it dissolves. Add a little at a time to flour mixture and blend thoroughly. Beat for 2 minutes with an electric mixer at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Blend eggs into batter, one at a time. Stir another 1/2 cup of flour into batter and beat at high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Blend in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. (I used a total of 5-1/2 cups flour) Knead dough on a lightly floured board about 8 to 10 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it once to grease top. Cover and allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft free place until double in bulk (approximately one hour). Punch dough down and let rise again until it has again doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
2) To make filling: Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
3) To make topping: Spray two 6 cup Texas-size muffin tins with nonstick spray. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan set over moderate heat. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and toasted pecan pieces. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Divide mixture among muffin cups.
4) To assemble: Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll dough to form a 12 x 12-inch square. Spread 6 tablespoons butter over dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll dough into a cylinder. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut cylinder into 12 (1-inch each) slices. Transfer slices to muffin tins. Cover and let rise for 40 minutes.
5) To bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place muffin tins on baking sheets to catch drips. Transfer to oven and bake until lightly brown, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately invert onto heatproof racks. Let sit for two minutes. Remove tins and continue to cool to room temperature. Yield: 12 pecan rolls.

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Bon Ton Bakery Cinnamon Bread - Eat Me, Delicious
Sticky Buns - Cookin' for My Captain
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Cinnamon Rolls Perfected - Sugar Pies
Pecan Sticky Buns - The Teacher Cooks
Schnecken - One Perfect Bite
Overnight Sticky Buns - Plain Chicken
Butterscotch Sticky Buns - Pinch My Salt
Apple Butter Sticky Buns - Modern Comfort Food
Caramel Apple Sticky Buns - The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Cinnamon Pecan Rolls - Foodista