Caramel Buns
March 10, 2015
Confession time. I’m an Alpha Baker, a Bread Baker and an Executive Cookie Maker who is following Weight Watchers. Yes, it’s true. I cannot go through all this without allowing myself one of everything that I bake, so I make allowances as I go. So far, I’ve lost 8.6 lbs in 4 weeks. Not bad, all things considered. I have to admit though, these Caramel Buns have me very concerned. Brioche, cinnamon, raisins, and brown sugar is a very dangerous combo. I forget my name at one sniff. The night before I baked them, I worried that I’d lose control. Then I considered, maybe I should allow myself the insanity; jump off the wagon with full intention. Let go. Wait! I said. Calculate it. Maybe they won’t be so bad. For anyone who knows the Points Program, 1 Caramel Bun (with the caramel) is 9 points. I’d survive 1, mind you, 3 Caramel Buns would equal my entire day’s worth of food in points. I had two and lots of salad for the rest of the day. My husband ate the rest, and still weighs 162 lbs (soaking wet).
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Ingredients
Instructions
SPECIAL CARAMEL BUN EQUIPMENT
- Stand mixer with a dough hook,proofing container9″ round cake pans, (2) 9″ mason jars
BRIOCHE DOUGH STARTER
- It’s always interesting for me to watch dough starter become dough starter. I just love the way it eats its way through the blanket of flour. It’s cool. That’s all.
BRIOCHE DOUGH
- I think Rose’s term to describe this brioche dough is apt: unmercilessly sticky. What a perfect description in just 2 simple words. Once the butter was added, I have to say my goal was to outsmart the brioche dough. How do I get the dough to release itself from the bowl with as little protest as possible. Were my fingers the answer? No. Was that huge, strong spatula the answer? No. Was a wooden spoon the answer? No. No. The answer turned out to be the oldest utensil in my drawer: a stiff plastic spatula that came with my food processor 20 odd years ago.
- I just showed the spatula to the dough, and it nearly jumped into the proofing container. There, I won.
- LET THE DOUGH RISE: It took about 2 hours for the dough to double in size
- My goodness, the dough went through quite a transformation. It was so silky smooth and cooperative. I took out the rolling pin, but didn’t need it at all. I just pushed the dough into place. Made two envelope folds.
- And, wrapped it loosely in plastic wrap and laid it in a ziplock for the overnight.
MIS-EN-PLACE FOR THE CARAMEL BUN FILLING
- The next day I mixed together the caramel bun filling, and soaked the currents. Really simple.
- Then I wrapped the pans in tin foil. Got out two mason jars.
- Toasted the pecans.
- Cracked the egg for the wash. When I was ready, Rick grabbed the camera, and I took the dough out of the fridge
ROLL AND FILL THE BRIOCHE DOUGH
- What could I do to make myself happy, since I was feeling so denied. I played the Sonza Happy list with the Jackson Five (Oh Baby Give Me One More Chance), and the B52’s (Loveshack. Love the Loveshack). I rolled the dough this way and that, working it toward the correct size.
- And, sprinkled the sugar and currant mixture (then I forgot the pecans!)
- Rolled the dough
- And, pushed it to fit 12″.
- I kept pressing the roll together with my hands and pinching the long end so that the roll wouldn’t come undone. It felt really good in my hands, but I had to stop playing with it.
CUT THE CARAMEL BUNS
- With my trusty serrated blade, I cut 12 even pieces.
- And, placed them in my pans.
- I fully intended to let them rise and bake them that night, but I realized they might not survive long enough for the caramel sauce, so I set them back in the fridge and called it a day because what I really wanted was a drink to wash away the can’t-have-the-six-caramel-buns-I-want blues.
- The next morning, I set them back in the 80 degree oven to rise. They puffed up and filled the pan.
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