Brothers

The Ultimate Sticky buns

Pecans, almonds and dried fruit arrives in early December from my brother-in-law and his wife as part of our Christmas gift. He is 6 years younger than my husband. He and his family have lived in Virgin, Utah, east of St.George, for all his life. He stretches a little bit on some words when he speaks, Goood morning or Hooow are ya doooing? He definitely has some Utah accent that my husband lost long ago. Hard working and resourceful. He grows extensive vegetable gardens and orchards, he made a fish pond in his backyard, not for koi but the consumable kind. They can plenty and dried many. He used to sell ‘thumpers’ he caught to a French restaurant. Here is a nice wabbit! He didn’t say that but he is a good businessman too.

My husband made this sticky buns he spotted in Bon Appetite magazine. The aroma from the warmed pecans brings up my memory of the first time I met the teenage brother-in-law. Cute, skinny and blond, he was always very kind to me without over doing it. My husband is a really good story teller and he tells me as if I was there watching it unfold. The story of my brother-in-law‘s awful farm accident and miraculous recovery was the most memorable so far but I heard many charming, heart warming sibling stories too.

Master sweet dough

• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 5 Tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1-3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2-3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces, room temperature. Plus 1/2 Tablespoon melted.

1. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat or in a microwave until an instant-read thermometer registers 110-115 degree.
2. Transfer milk to a 2 cup measuring cup; stir in 1 tablespoon sugar. Sprinkle yeast over milk and whisk to blend. Let sit until yeast is foamy about 5 minutes.
3. Add eggs, whisk until smooth.
4. Combine remaining 4 Tablespoon sugar, flour and salt in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook.
5. Add milk mixture. With mixer running, add 1/2 cup butter, 1 piece at time, blending well between additions.
6. Knead on medium-high speed until dough is soft and silky, about 5 minutes.
7. Brush a medium bowl with some melted butter; place dough with remaining melted butter; cover with plastic wrap.

The ultimate sticky buns Topping

• 1-3/4 cups chopped pecans about 8 oz.
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread out nuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and slightly darkened 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely. Set 1-1/4 cups nuts aside for buns.
2. Melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, cream, honey, salt and orange zest.
3. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until glaze is golden brown and glossy, 3-4 minutes.
4. Pour 1 cup of glaze into baking pan , tilting to coat bottom and sides. Set aside remaining glaze.
5. Sprinkle 1/2 cup toasted pecans over bottom of baking pan and let cool.

Buns

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• Master sweet dough chilled for 2 hours
• All –purpose flour for dusting
• 1 large egg
• Corse salt

1. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and kosher salt in a medium bowl until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes Set it aside.
2. Punch down dough. Transfer to a floured work surface.
3. Roll out the dough 12x16 rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
4. Spread the cinnamon-sugar mixture over dough leaving a 1 inch plain border on the side farthest from you.
5. Sprinkle 3/4 cup chopped pecans over the cinnamon sugar mixture.
6. Roll dough into a log, tightening as you roll and patting in ends if they began to taper, pinch together the seam where the long side meets the roll to seal.
7. Using a large knife, cut the log into 9 equal pieces. Lightly flour the knife between slices if the dough is too sticky.
8. Turn the buns cut side up and gently pat the top to flatten slightly.
9. Place the buns in prepared pan; space them evenly apart. Buns should not touch each other.
10. Loosely cover pan with plastic wrap or kitchen towel.
11. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size.
12. Arrange a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350.
13. Whisk egg with 1/2 tsp. of water in a small bowl. Brush tops of buns with egg wash.
14. Bake, rotating pan halfway through and tenting with foil if browning too quickly, until buns are golden brown and filling is bubbling.
15. Let cool for 5 minutes then spoon remaining glaze over. Sprinkle 1/2 cup pecans over and let cool in pan on a wire rack.

Another brother-in-law lives in San Antonio Texas. He is 12 years older than my husband. He sometime calls after San Antonio basketball game and brags about how well the team is doing. He will be extra happy that his team won tonight over the Oklahoma team. His easy going personality I like.

Dinner show

My husband and I attend Masashi Sada’s dinner show at Yoshida’s (well known creator of Yoshida’s teriyaki sauce) River View Restaurant last Thursday. The famous singer song writer and author was there for Japan’s earthquake charity event. He sang many of our favorite songs. My husband is a huge fan. He sang along with most of the songs and shed a tear or two. I brought a camera but it was out of batteries! Doh! My husband managed to take photos using his iPhone that was not so great. Here I was right beside him and many others.