Sticky Buns

Ingredients for Buns:

-- 1 package (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
-- 1/4 c. warm (105-115F) water
-- 1/2 c. cake flour
-- 1/3 c. sugar
-- 1 tsp. salt
-- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
-- 1/4 c. milk
-- 1 tsp. vanilla
-- 2 c. bread flour
-- 6 Tbs. very soft butter

Ingredients for Topping:

-- 1 + 1/3 c. packed dark brown sugar
-- 8 Tbs. butter
-- 1/4 c. honey
-- 3/4 c. chopped pecans (*opt.)
-- 1 Tbs. melted butter
-- 2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine yeast and warm water in mixing bowl, and let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 5 mins.

Add cake flour, sugar, salt, eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix by hand or on low speed until blended. Gradually stir in bread flour. Mix for 1 min. until dough comes together. Knead by hand for about 10 mins or with the dough hook on low to med. speed (**For KitchenAid stand mixers, only use dough hook on speed 2) for 5-7 mins until the dough is smooth and elastic and no longer sticks to your hands or the bowl.

Add butter. Vigorously knead in the butter until completely incorporated and the dough is once again smooth. Place the dough in a large buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place (75-80F) until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours. [N.B. -- this may or may not be in the directions: Punch down the dough, knead briefly, and refridgerate, covered until doubled again, 4-12 hours. Punch down the dough and shape it. If it has not yet doubled, let the dough finish rising in a warm place, punch it down and refridgerate for 30 mins.]

Meanwhile, butter a 13"x9" baking pan.

Bring 1 c. brown sugar, butter and honey to a boil in a small saucepan over med. heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and stir in pecans.

Pour the hot syrup into the baking pan and spread it evenly. Let cool.

Roll out the dough to a 16"x12" rectangle. Brush the dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with 1/3 c. brown sugar and cinnamon.

Starting from one long side, roll up the dough as you would a jelly roll. Cut crosswise into 8 slices. Arrange the slices cut side down in the prepared pan, spacing the slices equally in the pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Bake until the buns are golden brown and the syrup is bubbling hot, about 30 mins. Let the buns cool in the pan for 5 mins, then invert the pan onto a baking sheet to collect the hot syrup. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 8 buns.

[taken from Joy of Cooking: All About Breakfast & Brunch by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, Ethan Becker]