rants & recipes

Decided to try my hand at sticky buns this weekend. I used to really love those store bought pecan spins (though they weren't sticky buns, exactly) ... these turned out ok and I will definitely make them again, with some adjustments (see notes)

• 2/3 cup soymilk
• 1/4 cup orange juice concentrate (original called for apple juice concentrate, I didn't have any.)
• 4 tsp oil
• 1 1/2 tsp yeast
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups bread flour
• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup chopped pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp oil
• ~ 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

1. Heat soymilk to scalding in the microwave.
2. Add frozen juice concetrate - to cool enough for yeast.
3. Mix in yeast and oil.
4. Combine flours and salt
5. Add wet mix to dry, knead to form a dough.
6. Let rise about an hour in a warm place, covered oiled bowl, all that.
7. Punch down, roll out to about 8" * 15".
8. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
9. Coat dough with teaspoon of oil. Cover with sugar mix (leaving about half an inch of dough uncovered along a short side.
10. Sprinkle on finely chopped nuts.
11. Pour maple syrup in bottom of 9 inch round pan. Pour in remaining pecans.
12. Roll up dough, starting on a short side, pinch and seal dough.
13. Cut into 10 rolls.
14. Place rolls in pan, not touching.
15. Let rest 10 minutes.
16. Bake in preheat to 350 degrees oven for 20 minutes.

• This cooking time and temperature were way off for me. I had to cook an additional 10 minutes at 425. (This including oven heating back up time.)
• I also think these could benefit from a bit of a second rise. Mine went into the oven not touching each other and came out that way. However, I did roll up from the long side (woops), so maybe if I hadn't done that, they would have been "fatter" to start with.
• Next time I'll add some sugar to the dough. (Pecan spins dough was slightly sweet, if I remember correctly.)
• I'll also double the recipe, in an effort to get a better knead from my bread machine.
• I'd like the dough to be a little softer ... I'll double the oil and maybe cook longer at 350 degrees instead of bumping up to 425 (that was a salvage effort, anyway.)