MAPLE-WALNUT STICKY BUNS

Sticky buns are winter comfort food.  With a cup of coffee or tea on a cold, dreary day, these really hit the spot.  This recipe is easy and very good.  Feel free to use all-purpose flour if you don’t have bread flour, and use your favorite nuts if walnuts are not your choice.  Brown sugar, orange rind and cinnamon make a flavorful filling for the light-as-air rolls.  Maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice and walnuts are the “sticky” topping. 

I’ve also made a lower-fat version of this recipe you may want to check out.  You can freeze leftovers, and they’ll keep for several months.  Just thaw them on the counter for about 1/2 hour and nuke the thawed rolls for about 45 seconds on high.  Or wrap in tinfoil and bake thawed rolls in the oven at 400F for about 20 minutes.  Eat them as is or with Smart Balance butter spread or butter.

Maple-Walnut Sticky Buns Source:  Judy’s Kitchen Rating:  9 out of 10 PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:  Rolls:  1 pkg. active dry yeast (2-1/4 tsp.) 1/4 cup lukewarm water (test it on the inside of your wrist; it should be comfortably warm.) 1/2 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix 3-1/2 to 4 cups bread flour, divided use 1 cup lite sour cream 1/4 cup melted butter 1 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. sea salt 1 egg 1 Tbsp. oil Filling:  2/3 cup brown sugar 1 Tbsp. grated orange zest 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 cup butter, melted Sticky Topping:  1/4 cup butter, melted 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, Grade A Amber 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 Tbsp. orange juice 1-1/2 cups broken walnuts In work bowl of food processor, dissolve yeast in water; let stand 10 minutes.  Add pudding mix, 1 cup flour, sour cream, sugar, salt and egg.  Process till smooth.  Gradually add remaining  flour, using only enough to make a pliable dough.  Process well after each addition.   Lightly flour a board and turn the dough out onto it.  With floured hands, knead the dough till it is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes.  Grease a large bowl with 1 Tbsp. oil.  Put the dough into the bowl, turning over once so that it is greased all around.  Dampen a clean kitchen towel and place it over dough.  Set the bowl in a warm area, free of drafts, till light and doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours.  For filling, combine brown sugar, zest and cinnamon in small bowl; set aside.  For topping, place butter, syrup, brown sugar and orange juice in 9”x12” pan.  Stir to combine.  Sprinkle walnuts over the mixture; set aside.   Punch dough down after it has risen.  Roll out on floured board to 24” x 12” rectangle.  Brush with melted butter.  Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture over butter.  Roll up like a jelly roll.  Cut into 12 equal pieces.  Distribute pieces evenly over 9” x 12” pan, flattening each piece slightly.  Cover with damp towel and let rise about 1 hour, or  till doubled again.  In the meantime, heat oven to 350F.  When rolls are double, place in hot oven and bake 30-35 minutes, or till cooked all the way through and browned on top.  Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto board or platter.  Yield:  12 sticky buns