CARAMEL STICKY BUNS

If you have a sweet tooth, or if you want to really impress your breakfast guests (or potluck friends), this is the recipe for you. It is completely decadent and one of those recipes that you will find yourself going back to again and again.

 

BUNS
3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 envelopes dry yeast (I use 2 scant tablespoons)
1 cup very warm milk (not hot)
1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1 egg

In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and yeast.  Add warm milk, soft butter and egg. Beat with electric mixer on low for one minute, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently, then beat on medium speed for another minute.

Add the rest of the flour (1/2 cup at a time), beating well in between each addition. The recipe calls for 3 1/2 to 4 cups of flour. I got a beautiful dough, easy to handle at 3 1/2 cups. Knead the dough by hand (or machine) for five minutes.

Grease (I use cooking spray) the bowl and put the dough back in. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set in a warm spot for 1 1/2 hours or until dough is double in size.

While your dough is rising, make the filling and caramel topping.

FILLING
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
Mix the sugar and cinnamon and set aside the butter.

CARAMEL TOPPING
1 cup brown sugar (I use dark brown, but light brown is ok too)
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 cup pecans roughly chopped (optional)

Put the brown sugar and butter in a saucepan and bring it to a boil (stirring constantly). Remove mixture from heat immediately and stir in light corn syrup, set aside.

After dough has risen, turn out onto counter and pat all the air out of it. Gently roll into a 10x15 rectangle and spread with the reserved 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar filling and roll up, starting with longest side. Pinch seam together and cut into 1" slices.

Pour the caramel topping into a 9 x 13 pan and sprinkle with pecans if you are using them. Top with sliced dough sections (not too close together). Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rise for 30 minutes. The dough will rise quite a bit, so don't crowd the slices. 

Bake in preheated 350° oven for 30 to 35 minutes (my electric oven took 28 minutes), or till golden.

Remove from oven and let sit in pan for 2 minutes. Turn over onto heat proof plate and DON'T REMOVE THE PAN FOR 3 MINUTES (this gives the caramel sauce time to drizzle back down over the buns).

Remove pan and serve warm.  Makes 15 rolls.

ENJOY !!!

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

Do you have a lot of zucchini this summer? If so, this is a great way to use it. This treat is super chocolate-y, super moist (in fact it gets even more moist on day two), super easy to make and freezes very well.

(2) one ounce squares of unsweetened chocolate (melted)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
2 cups shredded zucchini (squeezed dry then measured)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 + 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Things to do first:
1. Preheat your oven to 350°
2. Toss the chocolate chips into the measured flour to get them well coated,that way they won't sink to the bottom of the bread as it cooks.
3. Grease two large (9" x 5") loaf pans. I lined mine with parchment and then greased the parchment (this bread tries to stick to the pan if you go light on this step, but with the parchment paper, the zucchini bread tips right out.

4. Shred the zucchini then squeeze some of the water out of it (with your hands) before you measure it.

Directions:

In large mixing bowl (I used my stand mixer), combine eggs, sugar, oil, grated zucchini, vanilla and melted chocolate. Mix until smooth.

Next, add flour (that you've stirred the chocolate chips into), cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix until well combined, smooth and shiny (just takes a 30 seconds or so).

Pour batter into 2 well greased large loaf pans and bake at 350­° for 60 to 70 minutes (my electric oven takes exactly 60 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted into tallest part of the bread comes out clean. Don't over cook.

Cool in pans on a rack for 15 minutes, then remove from pans. Wrap the bread in plastic wrap while they are still hot.  This keeps a lot of the moisture inside of the zucchini bread as it cools.  Don't slice the bread until it cools down completely.

If you are going to freeze them, cool completely, then double wrap them or wrap them in plastic wrap and put in a Ziploc freezer bag.

FUN TIP: If your children are picky eaters, just peel the zucchini before you shred them, that way you won't hear "Mom, what are these green specs?" They won't even know that the zucchini is in there!!

ENJOY !!