Well, it is about time that I post again!!! Wow, time flies when your having fun.
It is a beautiful Oct. day here in MN. Sunny, a gentle breeze and right now is 68 degrees. The trees are in all their glorious colors. I love fall with the cooler nights but warm days.
This morning I made homemade caramel rolls for the family which was a special treat, as I don't make them too often. This is the best recipe, but it takes awhile to make. You have to start them the night before because the sweet yeast dough has to rest for 12 to 24 hours. Once the prep work is done, they are very easy to make. Don't let the length of the recipe scare you. They are definitely worth the time and once you try them you won't want any other caramel roll.
Sweet Yeast Dough
Sponge
1 1/2 T. (1 1/2 pkg.) active dry yeast
1 T. sugar
1/4 c. warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1 1/4 c. warm milk (105 to 115 degrees)
2 c. all-purpose flour
Dough
2 large eggs
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon or orange
2 t. salt
1/3 c. sugar
2 1/2 to 3 c. all-purpose flour
Sponge, above
3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into small pieces
1. To prepare the sponge: In the work bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast, sugar, water, milk and 2 c. flour. Beat hard until smooth, about 1 minute. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature 30 minutes, until bubbly.
2. Add the eggs, zest, salt, sugar and 1 more cup of the flour. Beat until smooth. Add the butter a few pieces at a time, and beat until incorporated. Add the remaining flour 1/4 c. at a time to form a soft dough that just clears the sides of the bowl. It is important that this dough be very soft.
3. Knead until smooth, shiny and soft, about 2 minutes, adding 1 T. of flour at a time as necessary to prevent sticking. Place in a greased deep container, turn once to coat the top, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Gently deflate the dough, re-cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Butter-Pecan Caramel Rolls
1 recipe Sweet Yeast Dough
Caramel:
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. light corn syrup
2 T. water
Pecan Filling:
5 T. unsalted butter, melted
3/4 c. light brown sugar
2 T. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 c. chopped pecans
1 c. pecan halves
1. To make caramel: Melt the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and water over low heat, stirring constantly. When melted, pour into a jelly-roll pan.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into a 12x15" rectangle. To fill: Leaving a 1" border all around the edges of the rectangle, brush the surface with melted butter, then sprinkle evenly with brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped nuts. Roll up jelly-roll fashion from the long end and pinch the seam to seal. With a serrated knife, cut into 12 equal portions, 1 to 1 1/2" thick.
3. In the bottom of the caramel pan, sprinkle the pecan halves evenly and set the slices spiral side down. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise at room temperature until puffy and even with the rim of the pan. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Bake until the tops are brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes. Place a cooling rack on top of the pan and holding the hot pan with oven mitts, invert rack and pan on a baking sheet. Take care not to touch the hot caramel. Enjoy!!
