; Supermarket Serenade: Barefoot Bloggers-Easy Sticky Buns

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Barefoot Bloggers-Easy Sticky Buns

One of my favorite things about delicious sticky buns has always been that they are difficult and time consuming to make. Yes, you read that right. I like that they are difficult. If there is one thing I don't need it is an easy way to make something as delicious as sticky buns. For all these years my laziness has kept me safe from the high calories and fat of this decadent treat...until now.It's Barefoot Blogger Thursday-that day when bloggers across the blogosphere prepare another delicious recipe created by the talented Ina Garten (aka: The Barefoot Contessa). Why don't you join in? (It's fun!) Thank you to Melissa of Made by Melissa for her selection of this week's recipe.

Here's the concept: Instead of the normal dough needed for sticky buns which needs to rise overnight, Ina very cleverly took frozen puff pastry and transformed it into a ready in 45 minutes "sticky-bun-like" treat. I made only one change to the recipe-I did not have raisins so I substituted dried cranberries. The cranberries were a tasty substitution and next time I would add some orange zest and make them cranberry-orange sticky buns.

Here's the result: While not as tender as traditional sticky buns the buns were however sweet and delicious. A word of caution-remove the buns from the pan while they are still warm! I let some of them cool in the pan while I was taking pictures and this is what happened:

While the warm ones came out quickly and the sugary, buttery topping came out wonderful the ones that I let cool in the pan were difficult to remove and the topping hardened. Eaten warm the buns are tender, but once cooled they have the texture of almost a cookie...delicious, but not really tender and cake-like. I loved the ease of this recipe and unfortunately I know I will be making them again.

The Barefoot Contessa's Easy Sticky Buns
From Back to Basics

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces
1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
for the filling:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture. Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with half of the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down.

Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon), and cool completely.

14 comments:

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

They look wonderful! I will be doing those tomorrow ands probably using cranberries also.

Mary Bergfeld said...

I think your rolls look delicious. Is the coffee pot on? I've been known to stop by.

Robin said...

And they are easy?! I am all over this one then. Love puff pastry!

vanillasugarblog said...

Oh that looks easy! Puff pastry, of course, the many uses of it still amaze me.

chocolatechic said...

I didn't mess with fruit, I added cinnamon chips to mine.


Yours look great!

Anonymous said...

Haha! I love that... that you loved that they were so time consuming you used it as a preventative measure in not making them. Honestly, these were great... but I just don't have the sweet tooth I once had.
~Cat

Allie said...

I never would have thought to use puff pastry. Guess we'll be trying these out Saturday morning!

grace said...

this just goes to show--you should eat them all immediately. :)

Kate said...

Nicely done! This was a fun pick.

Anonymous said...

I am so glad you liked this recipe! They really were delicious, and I love your idea of cranberries and orange zest.

Aunt Julie said...

Yummy! Difficult or not, I'm gonna try to make some...I'll let you know how they come out!

Maria said...

I love the mini buns! Too cute!

RecipeGirl said...

I've never thought to use puff pastry for sticky buns but what a great idea. I might have to hold off on these since I'm eating healthy right now!

Karen Harris said...

I was wondering what I was going to do with that puff pastry in my freezer. Thanks for the inspiration.