Featured Formula: Sticky Sticky Buns

Ingredients

Brioche dough, 1
Light brown sugar, 60g 
Granulated sugar, 50g 
Ground cinnamon, 1/8tsp
Pecan halves, toasted and chopped, 100g
Goo, approximately 3c

Goo Ingredients

Unsalted butter, 3/4c 
Light brown sugar, firmly packed, 11/2c 
Honey, 1/3c 
Heavy cream, 1/3c 
Water, 1/3c 
Kosher salt, 1/4tsp

Goo Procedure

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar and cook, stirring, to combine (it may look separated, that’s ok). Remove from the heat and whisk in the honey, cream, water, and salt. Strain to remove any undissolved lumps of brown sugar. Let cool for about 30 minutes, or until cooled to room temperature.

Procedure

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the Basic Brioche dough in half; use one of the halves for this recipe and reserve the other half for another use. On a floured work surface roll the brioche into a tall rectangle, about 12x16 inches, and 1/4 inch thick. It will have the consistency of cold damp Play-Doh and it should be fairly easy to roll out.

In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, white sugar, ground cinnamon, and half of the chopped pecans. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the entire surface of the brioche rectangle. Starting from the top (12-inch edge) of the rectangle and working your way down, roll the brioche like a jelly roll. Roll tightly so you have a nice round spiral. Trim both edges of the brioche roll about 1/4 inch to even out the ends. Using a bench scraper or a chef’s knife, cut the roll into 8 equal pieces about 11/2 inches wide. (The unbaked buns can be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to 1 week. When ready to bake, leave buns wrapped and let them defrost in the refrigerator overnight, or at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours; proceed as directed.)

Pour the Goo into a 9x13-inch baking dish and sprinkle the remaining pecans evenly over the Goo. Place the buns in the pan, evenly spaced. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let the buns proof at warm room temperature for about 2 hours, until the dough is puffy and soft and the buns are touching. Heat the oven to 350°F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the buns are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 to 30 minutes in the dish. Invert the buns one at a time onto a serving platter and spoon any extra Goo and pecans on top. Serve warm.

Formulation courtesy of Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Café