SCOTT PEACOCK’S IDEAL PECAN ROLLS

Okay all you dieters.  This one is NOT for you!  Save it for a special treat day.  You know I like to make treats more healthful and, if possible, lower in fat and sugar.  But there isn't much that can be done with sticky buns.  Just suck it up and enjoy these.  Share them so you won't eat them all.  Eat them slowly -- very, very slowly -- and enjoy every single bite.  They are so, so good.

These sticky buns have more yeast than I usually like to work with.  My preference is for slow-rise yeast dough that cures in the fridge for several days and uses a minimal amount of yeast.  That being said, this is an excellent recipe that produces light and flavorful buns with wonderful caramel flavor.  And there is some curing of dough, even if it’s only overnight.  I halved the recipe to fill just one 8” cake pan (6 rolls), because I was testing the recipe.  If I make these again, I’ll make the full batch of 12 rolls and bake them in a 9x12 pan.   
I have made a number of changes to the recipe, some of which simplified it and others were just personal preference.  Scott mixes the dough in a stand mixer, but since I halved the recipe, it was easy to make the dough in my food processor.    This is a recipe I would use again, because everyone loved these rolls.

Scott Peacock’s Ideal Pecan Rolls, adapted Source:  Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, March 2010 Rating:  9.5 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

DOUGH:  6 Tbsp. milk 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut up 2 Tbsp. lite sour cream (Scott uses crème fraiche)  2 Tbsp. warm water 1/2 pkg. active dry yeast 1 large egg 2-1/4 cups bread flour, divided use 2 Tbsp. sugar 1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt In small pot, or in microwaveable bowl, heat the milk till steamy.  Add the butter to the milk; stir till melted.  Stir in sour cream and let cool. In the meantime, in work bowl of food processor, stir together warm water and yeast.  Let stand 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, add the sour cream mixture, egg, 3/4 cup of flour, sugar and salt to the work bowl; pulse till smooth and well combined.  Add remaining 1-1/2 cups flour and pulse till sticky dough forms.  Turn out onto floured board; let rest 10 minutes, then knead lightly, just till smooth.  Dough should be slightly sticky.  Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease top.  Cover with plastic wrap that has been lightly coated with softened butter, then cover bowl with a second piece of plastic wrap.   Refrigerate overnight to develop flavor. Next day, transfer dough to a warm place until double in size, about 2 hours, or longer depending on room temperature.  Don’t be in a hurry, because slow rising develops  better flavor.  While dough is rising, make the sticky topping and prepare the filling (both recipes below). Butter sides of an 8” cake pan or pie plate.  Spread topping in pan; spread evenly with spatula.  Scatter pecan halves over butter-sugar mixture.   Roll out dough to a 9x15 rectangle.  Spread with the 2 Tbsp. melted butter from the filling recipe.  Sprinkle the dough with the sugars and cinnamon, then with the chopped nuts.  Tightly roll the dough beginning at one short side, keeping the roll as uniform as possible.  Pinch the edges to seal the roll.  Cut into six even portions, about 1-1/2” in width each, using a serrated knife.  Arrange rolls over the sticky topping, then press gently so they will rise down and out as well as up.  Cover dish loosely with buttered plastic wrap and let rolls rise until fully doubled (about 60 minutes).  Heat oven to 375F.  Uncover and bake rolls about 30-35 minutes.  Cover with foil if rolls are browning too fast.  Cool on rack 5 minutes, then invert onto serving platter.  (If made ahead, reheat, uncovered, 15-20 minutes at 350F. STICKY TOPPING:  1/4 cup (1/2 stick) soft butter 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 Tbsp. dark corn syrup, honey or maple syrup 1-1/2 Tbsp. water or orange juice 1/2 cup toasted pecan halves In medium bowl, stir together butter, sugar and syrup till well combined.  Stir in water.  Spread in bottom of pan; top with pecans. FILLING: 2 Tbsp. each, white and brown sugars 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 2 Tbsp. butter, melted  1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans, or chopped dates or raisins Combine sugars and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Reserve butter and pecans for top of rolled-out dough. (You might also want to check out my Maple-Walnut Sticky Buns and Honey Sticky Buns.)