pecan rolls

Rolls:

(Makes 24 rolls)

2C Warm Water

2/3 C Sugar

1 1/2T Yeast

1/2 C Buttermilk (room temperature)

5T Unsalted Butter (melted) 4T + 1T

1T Kosher Salt

6-7 C Flour

Filling:

(for 12 rolls)

4T Unsalted Butter (room temperature)

1/2 C Brown Sugar

1t Cinnamon

1T Flour

1/4 C chopped Pecans

Caramel Sauce:

(for 12 rolls)

1 C Brown Sugar

1 Stick Unsalted butter

1/2t Almond extract

1/4C (a splash) of Heavy Cream

1C Pecans

2t kosher salt

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In a stand mixer bowl - whisk together the water, yeast and sugar until dissolved. Let set for 5-10 minutes or until the yeast blooms (gets very foamy).

Stir the Salt into 3C of the flour. With the dough hook, on low, mix 4T of the melted butter, buttermilk and flour/salt into your bloomed yeast. Mix until well combined. Add in the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough no longer sticks. Dough will be very soft
Mix on medium for 6 minutes. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 10 turns to form a ball.

Put the remaining 1T melted butter in a large bowl, and place the dough in top side down. Swirl the dough around to coat the dough with butter, then flip the dough over. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel & let rise for an hour.

Meanwhile, Prepare the caramel sauce & the filling -

Grease a large baking pan well (I use baking spray) or cut a piece of parchment & line the bottom of the pan.

Spread the 1C Pecans into the prepared baking pan & sprinkle with the 2t kosher salt.

To make the Caramel Sauce: In a small sauce pan, over medium heat melt the stick of butter with 1C of the brown sugar until bubbly, whisking frequently. Remove from heat. Whisk in the cream and almond extract. Be careful when adding the liquids as the mixture will bubble furiously. Immediately pour the caramel sauce over the pecans into the prepared pan.

Prepare the roll filling: Stir together the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl with a fork. Set aside.

Once your dough is finished rising - pour out the dough onto a floured surface and roll into a rectangle (10 x 18 or so). Spread with the softened butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling over leaving about 1 inch of the long side uncovered (this makes it easier to seal). Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Roll up & pinch along the long uncovered edge to seal. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut into 12 equal pieces.

Place your rolls swirl side up into the baking pan over your caramel sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and your kitchen towel. Leave to rise for another hour until doubled. Rolls should crowd together after rising.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until done. Top will be lightly browned and you will see the sauce bubbling up around the sides. I cover lightly with foil during the last 10 minutes to avoid burning.

Cool 5 minutes. Loosen the sides with a knife and while still warm - turn out onto a serving dish and remove the parchment from the top.

Enjoy!

CINNAMON ROLLS:

To Make Cinnamon Rolls: Use the same dough & filling recipe. Skip the Pecans in the filling & caramel sauce. Bake in a greased pan without the caramel sauce layer. Cool & Frost with Cream cheese frosting -

Cream Cheese Frosting:

(covers 12 rolls)

8oz Cream Cheese (room temp)

1 stick unsalted butter (room temp)

3C powdered sugar

1t Vanilla

Pinch of Kosher Salt

In your mixer with the whisk - Blend cream cheese & butter until fluffy. Stop mixer. Add in 3C powdered sugar & vanilla. Cover your mixer entirely with a kitchen towel and turn the mixer on high (take care to avoid tangling your towel in the mixer!). You’ll hear when your mixer has moistened the sugar and you can remove the towel. Add the pinch of salt and blend until fluffy.

Buttermilk Dinner Rolls:

Use the same dough recipe. Mix & rise. Pour out your dough and cut into 4 pieces. Cut each of these into 12 pieces (I cut into thirds - then each third in half twice). Shape your rolls by pulling all of the corners to the center of your piece and pinching to seal.

Place your rolls seam side down in a greased pan (I like to use a circular cake pan) 3 in the center in a triangle and 9 around the circumference.

Cover & rise until double about an hour. They will crowd - this is good.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until barely browned. I like to leave them slightly underdone as most people warm them before serving.

Remove from the pan to cool. If you cool them in the pan, your bottoms will get soggy.

When cool - dust lightly with a pinch of flour through a sieve.