Maple Pecan Sticky Buns

Maple Pecan Sticky Buns

Ingredients

Sticky Bun Dough :

• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons (1⁄ 2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for the bowl
• 1 (1⁄4-ounce) (21⁄4 teaspoons) envelope active dry yeast
• 21⁄ 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1⁄ 2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Filling :

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (4 ounces) chopped pecans
• 2⁄ 3 cup maple syrup
• 1⁄ 2 cup maple sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins

Cooking Instructions: 

1. To make the dough, heat the milk in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles appear around the edge of the pan. Remove from the heat and stir in the maple syrup and butter. Cool until tepid (100 to 110°F). Sprinkle in the yeast. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir to dissolve the yeast.
2. Stir together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, add the milk mixture, and stir to form a soft, sticky dough. Turn out on a floured work surface and knead, adding additional flour as needed, until the dough is supple and elastic, about 8 minutes. Generously butter a medium-size bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat the dough. Cover the bowl with a moistened kitchen towel. Let stand in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in volume and a finger pressed 1⁄2 inch into the dough leaves an impression, about 1 hour.
3. Butter a 9-inch square glass baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Sprinkle the pecans in the bottom of the dish. Pour the maple syrup evenly over the pecans. Stir together the maple sugar and cinnamon, add the 6 tablespoons of butter, and mash with a rubber spatula to make a spreadable paste.
4. Punch down the dough. Roll out the dough on an unfloured work surface into a 12 by 15-inch rectangle. Drop spoonfuls of the maple-butter mixture over the dough, then spread evenly with the spatula, leaving a 1-inch-wide border at the bottom. Sprinkle the raisins over the maple butter. Starting at the long end at the top of the rectangle, roll up the dough into a thick cylinder, pinching the seam closed. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough crosswise into nine slices, each about 13⁄4 inches wide. Arrange in the pan, cut side down.
5. Cover the dish with a moist kitchen towel and place in a warm spot. Let stand until the dough has almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
6. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Cool slightly, then brush the melted butter over the tops of the buns. Bake until the tops are browned and the sauce is bubbling up in the center, 30 to 35 minutes.
7. Immediately invert and unmold the buns onto a serving platter. Scrape any nuts and syrup clinging to the bottom of the pan onto the buns. Cool for about 20 minutes, then serve warm.