With all that the online world has to offer when it comes to recipes, I still love magazines and I still tear out recipes I want to try and keep them in a file. I’ve had too many Pinterest fails – gorgeous photos and results that are seriously lacking in flavor. This recipe comes just slightly adapted from People Magazine’s last page – Chef Jacques Torres who owns Melange Bakery. From the back of the file, it had to be five years old; so glad I saved it!
This recipe is a cross between my favorite cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting and these whole wheat sticky buns. Two recipes I absolutely love, but there’s always room for a hybrid. The dough here was rich, buttery, and barely sweet (similar to the cinnamon rolls) but the rolls bake in a sticky maple concoction that’s poured on the bottom of the pan, which is how sticky buns bake. I ate one warm from the pan and sat in solitary bliss in my kitchen. My mouth is watering even typing this. Later on after they’d cooled I helped myself to a second; the edges had hardened (like sticky buns do) to an incredibly addicting chew, and they were best eaten pulled apart like I used to do with those pinwheels you could buy at drugstores. Fun to make, like everything with yeast, I hope you give these a try.
Maple Brown Sugar Rolls
Makes 12 (9×13 pan)
11 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, divided
1/2 c. maple syrup
3/4 c. brown sugar, divided
1 packet active dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water
2 2/3 c. all purpose flour, divided
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. whole milk
1/2 tsp. table salt
2 large eggs
2 tsp. cinnamon
- Microwave 4 tbsp. of the butter in a medium glass bowl until melted (30 seconds). Add maple syrup and 1/4 c. of the brown sugar. Whisk well and pour into the bottom of a greased (nonstick spray) 9×13 glass pan.
- Stir yeast and warm water in a small bowl and set aside. Place 2/3 of the flour in bowl of a standing mixer. Add sugar, milk, salt, eggs, and yeast mixture. Beat with paddle attachment on low until smooth, about two minutes. Gradually add remaining flour and switch to dough hook.
- Beat with dough hook on medium speed for about 7 minutes. Add 6 tablespoons of the soft butter, one tablespoon at a time, beating about 30 seconds between each addition. Once the last one is added, beat about two minutes to ensure smoothly combined.
- Transfer to greased bowl and cover. Let rise 1.5 hours.
- Dump risen dough onto floured counter. Press out into 12×16 rectangle. Melt remaining 1 tbsp. butter and drizzle evenly over dough. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 c. brown sugar and cinnamon over dough evenly.
- Starting on a long side, tightly roll dough and pinch edges at the end to seal. Cut into 12 pieces using thread or a sharp, serrated knife. Place rolls, cut side up into prepared pan (3 by 4).
- Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Let cool about five minutes and invert onto cooling rack. Let cool slightly and serve.
