A Single Sticky Bun As Big As A Dinner Plate

Hello Sticky bun. Are you single? Now that's a pick up line if I ever heard one!

Well...among some of the ridiculous things I do...this may be high on the list. Yet, I've held back on sharing them with you...lest I somehow cause my readers to slip into some kind of virtual sugar coma.  You may ask. Go ahead. Ask..."Why in the name of all that is good and right in the world would any sane woman make sticky buns so big that  they are 10 inches across and 5 inches high?!? (And not share!)" Why??...You thought I missed that where you slipped in the (And not share) part. I'm on to you.

My answer is, " How can there be any truth to the answer when there is no truth to the question?" I would have to be a *sane* woman...in order for there to be rhyme and reason to this kind of epicure. Seriously. Epic. 

Yes...this is a full size dinner plate. Yes. It is a pumpkin spice cinnamon bun kissed with my Wise Woman of The East spice blend. The magic is made perfect with exotic Roasted  Saigon  Cinnamon, lemon, orange, and culinary florals...everything you would want in a prime plate of happy. Yes, it's dripping in a thick caramel-orange goo-o-joy. Yes...it's topped with toasted salted pumpkin seeds.

 Yes. See...I will share!   Isn't that just perfectly sweet and evil of me?

Repeat after me, "Peeeerfectly sweeeet and Evil of you..."

These will be the big sellers. I can tell already. I mean they're already big right?

There you go. Sticky Buns of Epic size...and yes...they can be yours too. The're technically family size...so you can share...should you decide you want to be that nice.

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Random Thoughts...Ace Day

Today is Ace's Birthday. So, I made pumpkin caramel sticky buns with toasted pumpkin seed that are the size of a full size dinner plate for him....

 True confession...I think he likes getting old.

I made a point to let the boys pick out some snazzy gifts. Knowing how sentimental and funny dad is, they asked to go to an antique store to find his "birthday treasures". Face found a "Fall Guy" metal lunchbox from the 70's...original. It was complete with battle damage from some little kid. When Ace opened it...he hugged it and almost cried. It's now in a place of glory displayed in our bedroom.  Little Man settled on a not-so-antique gift the next day. Yes, we found the first season of "Starsky &Hutch" on DVD...what can I say. It seems that my husband likes old car shows. Who knew that the driving Ace would like car shows?! Yikes.  

However, the biggest, coolest gift came after the actual gifts.  Little Man and Face made birthday cards.  To me, these were a priceless.  Why? Because at the store, my son Face turned to me and said, "It doesn't matter what we buy dad...he'll just want snuggles for his birthday. We might as well go home and only give him snuggles. He'd be happy." Anyone who know my husband will 100% understand that comment. The man absolutely adores his kids. 

So...Happy Birthday Ace.

That's all I have to say about that.

Pumpkin & Spiced Peach-Pecan Sticky Buns-o-Glory

I got a phone call from the morning producer on NBC 12 asking if I could come into the studio Monday morning and do some wicked  delicious recipes for Fall with Pumpkin. So...I called my buddy Michael down at Love Grows Farms to see how the pumpkins were coming along. He says they are amazing and that I need to come pick some up. I'll be on the farm tomorrow morning. Tonight I decided to really perfect my pumpkin sticky bun recipe for the show and whip out some of the Sweet Pumpkin Spice Tamales to bring in as well. I'll be making a lot with pumpkin in the next few days for that reason. However...I think I'm fair in adding some torture here with this picture...

I'm not going to lie. They are incredible. There's pumpkin in the dough...and peach preserves in the middle of the rolls to add some remarkably lightly tart and moist filling to the mix. Add an accent of the mixed spices of my blend with hints of orange, lemon, and some culinary rosepetal and lavender...Perfection. 

Don't beg. I'll share the recipe here...but you have to promise to make them.

Chef Stephanie Petersen's

Pumpkin & Spiced Peach Pecan Sticky Buns-o-Glory

1 cup warm milk (not too hot now)
2 tsp active dry yeast (1 pkg)
1 tsp salt
1 cup packed canned pumpkin
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
4 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp almond extract

2T Chef Tess Wise Woman of The East Spice Blend

3/4 cup sugar free peach spread

Topping:

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

¼ cup unsalted butter

¼ cup honey (caramel honey sauce or peach amaretto honey are amazing here)

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:
Put the milk, yeast, sugar, pumpkin in a mixer with a whisk and mix until smooth.

 Add remaining ingredients. Mix with a dough hook until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes (by hand about 300 turns). Put dough in a covered bowl and raise about 1 hour until doubled. Lightly flour a counter top and roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness, 12 inches by 18 inches rectangle. Spread jam or honey over dough and sprinkle with spice blend. Roll tightly and pinch seam. Cut into 2 inch wedged

 Make the topping. In a 1-quart saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, and honey over low heat; stir until sugar and butter are melted.

 Pour mixture into a greased 9" x 13" pan and sprinkle pecans on top.

place one inch apart 

Allow to raise until doubled in size, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375°. 

 Imagine yourself just sitting in a hot tub of caramel pecan goo....and you would probably be just fine with my little friends.

Bake buns until golden, 30 to 35 minutes.

 Remove pan from oven and immediately invert onto a serving tray or baking dish. Let buns cool slightly and serve warm.

There you go. Make some sticky buns!  Get the printable recipe Here.
I want to see those buns! 


Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

More Sticky buns...and some Savory ones too...

Yesterday for Tutorial Tuesday we did some crazy cream cheese filled sticky buns. Sticky buns are evil enough. Filled with warm cream cheese, truely inspired. Add to that the fact that these ones can be made and frozen (unbaked) and are ready to have at a moment's notice...and you have the makings of something truly sick and ...right. Very right. Last night we made a few more batches. For full details, please see yesterdays posts on the dough recipe as well as the cream cheese filling. I'm only including the variations here...as I know the pictures may just make you cry...and wish you where here. Don't worry...I wish you where here too.

The first is an orange sticky bun with a chocolate cream cheese filling.

You will omit the nuts in the recipe, add 1T fresh orange zest to the caramel topping mixture. When you make the cream cheese filling, add 1 tsp rum extract. You will need 4-6 ounces of dark wonderful quality chocolate, chopped into small pieces.

When you stuff the buns, put a tablespoon of chopped chocolate on top of the cream cheese. Wrap and fold as usual. I added cherries in between the rolls.

When it was baked...

it tasted like pure heaven.

The other batch of buns I made was a savory bun. Just for those guys and dolls who like a less sweet roll. Pesto and Black Pepper rolls stuffed with Blue Cheese. On the bottom of the pan I spread 1/4 cup prepared basil pesto. Feel free to experiment here, but I'm thinking sun dried tomato pesto would be outstanding. I cracked pepper over the pesto. For the filling of the buns I used 1T crumbled blue cheese. Later I regretted not adding a clove or two of roasted garlic or some kind of other savory filling item like chopped bell peppers.

Then again...

They where still amazing with the crust of pesto bread.

The melted blue cheese just dribbling out was so pretty.

Right off the top of my head, I see about fifty different variations I can make of this roll dough. Do I have enough room in my jeans to try them all out? Nope. However, I will make continued valiant efforts to update y'all on my progress. Give me your ideas. I think we could cause some serious damage. Don't you?!

There you go.

Auntie Em's Caramel Sticky buns with lemon infused cream cheese and apple filling

Earlier today I posted Auntie Em's freezer to oven caramel stick buns filled with cream cheese. I thought I would add my own twist on the recipe. Just to add a new level of horribly deliciousness to your already amazing life.

Add 1T fresh lemon zest and one chopped Johnathan apple to the filling.

Instead of using chopped nuts, place 10 whole pecans right on top of the caramel topping.

Raise and bake as usual. Yes...you will need to see the post from earlier today.

Yes. I know it's even more evil than humanly possible. Try not to lick the computer screen.

It's this caramel and cream that really pushes me over the edge.

Brace yourself.

Caramel creamy goodness in every last bite.

There you go.

Cream Cheese Filled Caramel-Nut Pull Apart Bread (Freezeable!)

It's Tuesday. Yes, I know. It's evil. Don't blame me, it was Auntie Em's idea to stuff the caramel nut pull apart monkey bread with a wicked cream cheese filling. With Easter coming and all the cream filled eggs out there, why not add cream filled sticky buns to the list of things to make. Why?! OH Auntie Em, what are you thinking?! Pure genius! Yes...she is in fact my evil twin sister. Well, we are a year apart in age, but that didn't stop the folks from calling us the "sunshine twins" back in grade school. Recently Em wrote me asking my advice on not only making this dessert...but making it freezable. The kind of freezable that would be able to bake the day of her family event (with the mother in law coming) and still get a good review. What do you think? Does it look like it worked? Pictures today are brought to you by the letter "E". Em, Eats, Evil. Triple threat. However, if you string the "E's" together, it looks more like a gleeful expression of utter bliss, "EEEEEEeeeeee".


Kick off you shoes and run though a meadow of wild flowers. It's time for the step by step instructions. Special thanks to Auntie Em! Smooooches!!

Auntie Em's Caramel Nut Pull Apart Bread, Cream Filled and freezable EVil Genius

Dough:

1/4 c warm water

1 T active dry yeast

4-1/4 to 4-1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/3 c sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c milk

1/3 c butter, cut in chunks

1 egg

Caramel Topping:

1 c brown sugar

1/2 c chopped pecans

1/3 c Corn Syrup

1/4 c butter, melted

Cream Filling:

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/2 c shredded coconut (okay...how evil is that?!)

1/4 c powdered sugar

2 T butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla

Combine water and yeast in a small bowl; set aside.

Combine 2 c flour, sugar and salt in large mixer bowl. Heat milk and butter until warm (100° to 110°F) - butter does not need to melt.

Add milk mixture, yeast mixture and egg to dry ingredients. Beat 30 seconds on low speed to blend; beat an additional 2 minutes on medium speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat.Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. (Note: this rich dough rises slowly, and probably will not double).

Combine all caramel topping ingredients together.
Grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Spread half the topping in the bottom of each pan.
Combine all cream filling ingredients and beat until well mixed; set aside. Punch dough down and divide into 20 equal pieces. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
Flatten each piece of dough into a small circle, about 4 to 5 inches in diameter.
Place a scant T of cream filling in the center.

It looks like a little cheese tortellini.

Pinch edges of dough together and form into a ball; place in prepared pans, pinched side down, 10 rolls per pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Yes, let them raise before freezing! That is the secret!.(if freezing, put in freezer at this point. To prepare pull from freezer straight to the oven and add 20 min to bake time for room temp dough) Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown (45-50 minutes from frozen). Cool on rack for only 1 minute; invert onto serving platters.

Remember, allow to cool only one minute before inverting onto a platter. Be careful, it's hot and that goo is delicious...but not in a molten mass attached to your arm.

Oh my stars!

There you go! Thank Auntie Em for those extra pounds. Not me. I have to go jogging just thinking about this stuff. Thanks a lot! Smooches anyway sista'. You know I love you!