Inauguration Day Sticky Buns

I just read in the NY Times that each presidency is marked by "firsts," this being the inauguration of the first black president of the U.S. Well, there's a first happening in our house right now, too, while watching everything that's going on in Washington, D.C. I'm making sticky buns for the first time completely from scratch, using the bread machine to get through the messy part of mixing the dough and letting it rise. Just like the inaugural, the buns are still evolving, and I will update this entry as I'm working along. 

The recipe that I usually make–"usually" meaning once or twice a year–, calls for frozen rolls from the grocery store. It's not a healthy recipe, unfortunately, but it's very easy to make and most people enjoy eating it. This recipe was given to me by a good friend. I believe almost everyone in our extended family has a similar recipe on hand:

Caramel Nut Rolls

Ingredients:

about 15 frozen bread rolls

1 small package butterscotch pudding (the kind you cook, NOT the instant kind)

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans (if desired)

Preparation:

The evening before baking, place the frozen rolls in a greased Bundt pan. Sprinkle pudding mix over the top. Melt butter, mix in brown sugar, and pour mixture over the rolls. Add nuts if desired. Put the pan with prepared rolls into the cold oven overnight and let the rolls rise. In the morning, remove the rolls from the oven. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Bake the rolls for 25 min. (they will get golden on top). Let cool a bit in the pan and flip over onto a plate. Enjoy!

This morning, however, I didn't have frozen rolls or butterscotch pudding in the house, so I searched for a recipe to make the rolls from scratch. Here's what I tried:

Sticky Buns

Add to the pan of the bread machine and process on the dough setting:

1/2 cup water

2 large eggs

2 cups bread flour

1 1/4 tsp. yeast

1 Tbsp. sugar

Roll the dough into a long rectangle, about 18 inches long, spread about 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1/2 cup golden raisins on top and roll lengthwise. Cut the resulting roll into about 18 pieces. Heavily butter a 9x13 pan, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar and drizzle a little honey on top, then spread another 1/2 cup of chopped pecans on top of that if desired. Place the rolls flat side down on top and bake in the oven at 350˚F for about 20-25 minutes. When done, invert rolls onto a serving plate.

I was not very happy with the result. My husband thought the dough of the rolls tasted a lot better than the store-bought frozen rolls and I agree. Neither of us liked the honey flavor, though, it just seemed too pervasive. Also, the rolls were quite small, about the size of a half-cup muffin tin, and instead of just letting the rolls rise for 30 minutes before baking, they may have required a couple of hours. With the help of our neighbors and kids they were all consumed, but I will have to keep looking for a better recipe. Since I don't bake sweet rolls very often, it may take me years to find one. :)