Orange Date Sticky Toffee Buns #BreadBakers

 

Sticky buns are a nostalgic indulgence.  Our amazing school cook made them from scratch for the whole K-8 about once a month.  You were pitied if you missed sticky bun day.  The principal usually snuck in before lunch to snitch one.  I have made a fantastic sourdough version of those buns.  These sticky buns are a little richer, a little more sophisticated in flavor, and nicely baked in individual servings using jumbo muffin tins.  (Yes, the recipe may be halved, it's your choice to whisk the egg and use only half or to separate and choose either the yolk for richer dough or the white for a tiny bit less rich.)  Yes, these can be made in regular muffin tins, (there will obviously be more, like 18 smaller buns), or baked in a 9x13" pan for a full batch or 8" pan for a half batch.

 
Orange Date Sticky Buns
makes 12 buns
adapted from WildYeast

515g flour
280g milk, at room temperature
35g sugar
50g (1 large) egg, at room temperature
10g instant yeast
10g salt
5g diastatic malt (optional)
zest of half an orange
½ tsp mahleb, optional (or seeds from ½ a vanilla bean)
55g butter, softened

Filling:

50 g sugar
65 g brown sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground mahleb or ground coriander
120 g chopped dried dates
zest of one small lemon

Topping:

12 tbsp butter, cool room temperature
12 tbsp brown sugar
chopped pecans (TOTALLY OPTIONAL)
chopped candied orange or lemon peel, also optional

Method:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the dough ingredients except the butter.  Mix at low speed until the ingredients are incorporated and bind around the hook.

Increase speed to medium low and gradually add the butter.

Mix until the dough achieves a medium-high level of gluten development.

 Cover the dough and let rest for 2 hours at room temperature.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and flour lightly.  Pat out the dough into a rectangle on the parchment, cover with plastic wrap or place in a large food bag, and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, combine the filling sugars and lemon zest in a small bowl.  Butter 12 jumbo muffin tin wells, or spray with cooking spray.  

Place one tablespoon of butter in each cup and press with your fingers to evenly cover the bottom of each well.  Follow the butter by placing one tablespoon of brown sugar into each well, again pressing into an even layer.

If desired, sprinkle chopped pecans and/or candied citrus peel evenly over the brown sugar.

Preheat the oven to 360ºF.

Turn the chilled dough onto a floured counter.  Gently roll out into a rectangle about 12x16-inches. Brush or spray the surface of the dough lightly with water.

Spread the sugar mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a one-inch border along one long edge.  Spread the chopped dates evenly over the sugar.

 Starting at a long edge and rolling toward the un-sugared border, roll the dough somewhat loosely into a log, pinching the seam to seal.

With a sharp knife or kitchen shears, trim the ends off the log and then cut it into 12 equal pieces. Place the rounds cut side down into the prepared muffin tins and press them down gently onto the bottom layer (which will become the topping/glaze).

Cover and let rise for 60-90 minutes at room temperature, until the indentation left by a fingertip springs back slowly.

Place the muffin tins on rimmed baking sheets.  Bake for 25-30 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the glaze is bubbling up from below (any overflow will be caught by the rimmed baking sheets).

Remove from the oven and carefully invert the buns onto parchment-lined baking sheets, (hot sugar burns are not fun.)

These are best served when still slightly warm.  They freeze and reheat well and are awesome with butter on top!
 
Welcome to Bread Bakers! This month, our theme is Rolls and Buns.

• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Alabama Orange Rolls
• A Messy Kitchen: Orange Date Sticky Toffee Buns
• Passion Kneaded: Filled Wool Rolls
• Sneha's Recipe: Soft & Fluffy Sourdough Hamburger Buns
• Food Lust People Love: Käsebrötchen - German Cheese Buns
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Hoagie Rolls

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.