Apple Sticky Buns

You can buy a ready made roll mix to simplify this recipe or use your favorite sweet roll recipe.  You decide.  I’ll share a sweet roll recipe below in addition to the simple box recipe with you.  The idea of this sweet roll is to serve it warm and sticky.

Buns

1 16 oz package Phillsbury hot roll mix

3 tbs. butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 apple, peeled and finely chopped (Granny Smith are best baking apple)

Sticky Bun Syrup

2/3 powdered sugar

¼ cup butter

2 tbs. maple syrup

1 egg white

Maple Glaze

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tbs. maple syrup

Pinch of salt

3 tbs. milk

Sticky Bun Syrup

Whisk together the sugar, melted butter, syrup and egg white until smooth

Buns

Spoon the sticky bun syrup into large cake pans.  Prepare roll mix according to box directions, cover the dough and let it stand 5 minutes.  Roll dough on a floured surface into an 18 inch x 10 inch rectangle.  Using a pastry brush spread the melted butter over dough.  Stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over butter.   Sprinkle apples over cinnamon and sugar.   Roll up the dough tightly, starting at the longest end.  As you are rolling, brush off excess flour from the dough with a dry pastry brush.  Cut into 1 inch slices with a serrated knife.

Place in prepared pan(s).  Cover pans loosely with saran wrap, and let rise in a warm place 85 degrees to proof and double in size (preheat your oven and then shut off, placing the bread on top of the stove to rise).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, uncover rolls and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and done all the way through.  Cool in pans for 5 minutes.

Maple Glaze

Prepare when rolls are almost ready.  Melt butter in a small saucepan over med heat, whisk in brown sugar, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt until blended.  Add milk, bring to a boil, whisking constantly.  Reduce heat to med-low, simmer, whisking constantly, 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown and glossy.  Brush over the rolls when they are done baking.

Serve warm or you can reheat them in the microwave for 20 seconds.

Sweet Rolls from Scratch

2 tsp. active dry yeast plus 1 tsp sugar

1/4 cup warm water

1 cups milk

1 tbs. melted butter

1/4 cup sugar

4 cups flour

1 egg

1 tsp salt

Add yeast and 1 tsp sugar to the warm water (not over 110 degrees F). Set aside.

Place milk in microwave for 45 seconds. Add butter to milk and stir in until butter is completely melted. Check the temp of the milk; it should be lukewarm, if not then allow it to cool until lukewarm.  If it is too hot, it will kill the yeast.

Once yeast has doubled in volume, add yeast mixture to milk mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the sugar and about 1 ½ cups flour and mix until it reaches the consistency of a muffin batter. Let rest for 10 minutes.  This is allowing the yeast to do it’s job.

Add egg and salt to the mixture. Beat well. Add 2 cups of remaining flour until the flour forms a soft dough.

Knead dough in mixer with dough hook until smooth and satiny.

Leaving it in the mixer bowl, cover and let rise in a warm area until double in size (about 2 hours).  Cover with a dish cloth. 

Once doubled in size, punch down and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Press out the roll dough on a lightly floured surface (remaining ½ cup of flour is for the board). Shape into a long rectangle and follow the directions above to make the roll.  Let the rolls rise again until they have doubled their size.  Put a dish cloth on top of them while rising.  Follow baking directions as above. 

You may also use this recipe for making biscuits.  Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  It took a little longer than 15 minutes when I made these.  It depends on the weather I think. Just watch them closely because you don't want them to get too done after all that work you put into them.  

  

Variation – Add walnuts or pecans to the top after you have glazed them.  You can also use other fruits instead of apples if you like.  How about mixing your fruits like apples and cranberries (I'd chop and sweeten the cranberries with sugar first though before adding it to the apples).  Apples, cranberries and walnuts would be a great pairing.

It is a rainy day again today, making it a great day for staying inside and making something special.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.