Sourdough Sticky Buns
When you’re wife tells you this is one of the best things you’ve ever made, you know you’re on the right track.
Ingredients:
160 g whole milk
28 g melted butter (not hot)
1 egg
100 g active starter
24 g sugar
300 g flour (I used 00)
5 g salt
*This formula works for an approximately 7-8” round cast iron skillet/pan
For filling:
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp melted butter (not hot)
For glaze & garnish:
1/2 cup Whipped cream cheese
1/2 cup Confectioner sugar
3 Tbsp Butter
Pistachios
Flake salt
This is 36 hr process that is designed for a slow ferment and planned out so you can wake and bake without any elaborate prep during the last step. The most complicated part of the process happens at night during day 2.
Directions:
9 pm day 1- Mix together all of the ingredients in a stand mixer and work the dough until smooth. About 10 minutes at high speed.
Cover and set out overnight at room temperature.
In the morning, transfer the dough into the fridge.
9 pm day 2- Take dough out of the fridge and rest for about ten minutes to loosen up a little.
Dust a work surface with flour and dump out the dough. Dust the top of the dough with more flour. Begin forming a rectangular shape with the dough then take a rolling pin to gently press it down into a uniform thickness of about 1/4 inch. Do you best to make it as rectangular and uniform as possible. Try to work quickly as the dough gets harder to work with as it warms up.
Brush on the melted butter evenly across the whole surface. Mix together the brown, white sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on evenly across the whole surface.
Carefully take one of the long edges of the dough and start rolling up like a coil. Make sure it is tight and there are no big air pockets. You can use a bench knife and a little bit more flour if you find it sticking to the surface of your work area. Roll it tightly.
Use a sharp knife and cut the roll into medallions of equal size.
Line a cast iron skillet (or whatever baking dish you prefer) with parchment paper and drizzle in melted butter so it covers the bottom of the parchment.
Layer in the rolled dough medallions evenly. As they continue to proof they will expand and press into each other. Drizzle any extra butter all over the top of the pan, cover tightly, and return to the fridge until the morning.
6-7 am Day 3- Take the skillet out of the fridge, uncover, and let proof at room temperature for 1- 2 hrs. Set your oven to 350F.
Meanwhile, start making the glaze. Whisk together melted butter and confectioner’s sugar slowly adding the sugar. Add in the whipped cream cheese and continue to whisk together vigorously. I like to set mine on top of a double boiler to keep the glaze more workable, without the risk of burning it with direct heat. If it sits out too long at cooler temperatures it will begin to solidify.
Bake the buns for about 40 minutes until the surface is a nice golden brown.
Remove from the oven and transfer the buns to a cooling rack. As it’s cooling for about 10 minutes, drizzle on the glaze. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and flake salt.
