Baking Brioche! Part 2...Sticky Buns!

If delicious soft brioche isn't sweet enough for you, you can always use your brioche dough to make the most decadent sticky buns you've ever had. A few weeks ago I posted about the best sticky buns from Devil's Teeth Baking Company...well this Julia Child recipe rivals what they bake. And for a first time brioche maker, I'm pretty sure that with some practice these could be the best pastry ever.

This recipe also comes from Baking With Julia, but thanks to Gourmet or Gourmand?, the recipe is available online. I used half of my brioche dough, which makes one batch of 7 sticky buns. The recipe is tailored to using half of the dough--just make two batches if you want to use the whole thing. Also, the original recipe calls for pecans, but I have changed it up for those who don't like nuts, and have added more cinnamon.


Ingredients:
Half batch of brioche dough
3 ounces unsalted butter at room temp (3/4 stick)
flour (for surface)
1 egg, beaten

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1-2 tablespoons cinnamon (personal preference)

1 stick butter at room temp

1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions:

Before starting, I would suggest watching this Julia Child/Nancy Silverton video (there are two parts) for technique advice.

 

On a lightly floured surface, roll out your dough to a 11x14 inch rectangle. Try to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin or surface with flour. 

 

Dot the surface with the 3 ounces of butter, making sure to cover the entire surface. Fold the dough in to thirds, roll out slightly, then fold in to thirds again. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 

Take the dough out of the fridge for the final roll. On a lightly floured surface, roll your dough out again to an 11x14 inch rectangle. Keep the dough from sticking, and cover any exposed butter with a dash of flour.

Brush the egg wash on the entire surface of the dough. Take your cinnamon and granulated sugar and sprinkle over the egg mixture, careful to leave an 11" strip of dough uncovered (to seal closed). 

 

 

Starting from the other end, roll the dough up (not too tight) so you have a roll that is 11" long. Cover in saran wrap and freeze for 45 minutes.

 

 

While this is chilling, prepare your 10 inch pie or cake pan. Spread one stick of butter on the bottom of the pan, covering evenly. Next add the brown sugar and do the same. I added an extra sprinkle of cinnamon at this point.

Once your roll has finished freezing, take it out and chop off the uneven edges. Divide the dough in to 7 pieces, approx 1.5" thick. Cut the roll and place in the prepared pan, making sure each piece does not touch. Set aside, uncovered, for a final rise of 2 hours. They should expand and just touch.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once your sticky buns have finished rising, put them in the oven and bake for 25 minutes (or until golden brown). Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Mine really puffed up, but it was easy to fix--after they had cooled a bit I took a serrated knife and cut off the uneven tops. 

 

Take a large serving plate and place over the baking pan. Make sure to use oven mitts for the next step: carefully flip over the dish so that the rolls are upside down--letting the buttery/sugary glaze melt down through the layers of pastry. Take off the baking pan and let sit for an additional 5 minutes. Careful--the glaze is extremely hot!

 

 

Serve these warm, straight away with a glass of cold milk or a cup of hot coffee! These are the perfect treat for a brunch. They still taste good cold, but I would suggest warming them up in the oven for 5-10 minutes before serving later. 

 

Happy Snacking!

Antonia