Ultimate Sticky Buns

Ingredients

• 4.3 cups all purpose flour ()
• 0.3 cup plus dark
• 4 teaspoons yeast dry
• 2 large eggs 
• 1.3 cups brown sugar packed ()
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 0.3 cup honey 
• 0.5 cup nonfat milk powder dry
• 2 cups pecan halves 
• 1.3 teaspoons salt 
• 4 teaspoons sugar 
• 0.8 cup butter unsalted room temperature ()
• 0.3 cup water 
• 1 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• knife
• plastic wrap
• hand mixer
• spatula

Directions

1. Mix 1/4 cup warm water, yeast, and pinch of sugar in small bowl.
2. Let stand until foamy, about 8 minutes. Using electric mixer, beat remaining sugar, butter, milk powder, and salt in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time.
3. Mix in remaining 3/4 cup warm water and yeast mixture, then 3 cups flour, 1 cup at a time. Using rubber spatula, mix in 1 cup flour, scraping down sides of bowl frequently (dough will be soft and sticky).
4. Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour onto work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes.
5. Butter another large bowl.
6. Add dough; turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm area until doubled, about 2 1/2 hours.
7. Butter two 10-inch round cake pans with 2-inch high sides. Beat brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, honey, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in medium bowl to blend.
8. Spread half of glaze in bottom of each prepared pan.
9. Sprinkle 1 cup pecans over each.
10. Punch down dough. Divide dough in half.
11. Roll each dough piece out on floured work surface to 12x9-inch rectangle.
12. Brush any excess flour off dough.
13. Spread remaining butter over dough rectangles, dividing equally.
14. Mix 4 teaspoons sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.
15. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over rectangles. Starting at 1 long side, tightly roll up each rectangle into log.
16. Cut each log into 12 rounds.
17. Place 12 rounds, cut side down, in each prepared pan, spacing evenly. Cover with plastic wrap. (Can be made 1 day ahead; refrigerate.)
18. Let buns rise in warm area until almost doubled, about 1 hour (or 1 hour 25 minutes if refrigerated).
19. Preheat oven to 375°F.
20. Bake buns until deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Run small knife around pan sides to loosen sticky buns. Turn hot buns out onto platter. Cool about 30 minutes and serve.