Maple Syrup Sticky Buns

Home made cinnamon rolls are a special treat at our house.  Yes, they take a bit of time and effort to make, but nothing is as lovely as a warm sticky bun fresh from the oven.  

 If you have a mixer with a dough hook, the machine will do the hard work for you.  The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for them to come out of the oven so you can enjoy their warm maple sweetness.  Oh, when I say maple syrup, you don't have to use the expensive stuff.  Any maple flavoured pancake syrup will do. Shall we get started?  Here's the recipe:

For the dough:

1 packet of dried yeast - about 2 slightly rounded teaspoons 
1/4 cup water 
1/4 cup white (caster) sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup butter or baking margarine ( I used Stork)
1 cup milk - gently warmed in the microwave 
3 1/2 cups plain flour

In a large mixing bowl, place the yeast, water, egg, and milk, stir to dissolve the sugar and yeast. Add the flour, a cup at a time, stirring after each addition to make a smooth dough.  If you have a mixer with a dough hook this can be done by the machine.  

Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic.  If kneading by hand, use as little additional flour as possible to keep the dough soft and moist.  If using the mixer, this will take about 5 minutes at a low speed using the dough hook. Butter the inside of a large bowl, place the kneaded dough into the bowl turning it to cover it with a thin layer of butter, and cover with plastic wrap.  Leave the dough in a warm place to rise until the dough has doubled in size.  

While you are waiting for the dough to rise,  prepare your baking tins and make the sticky maple syrup. 

For the Sticky Syrup:

1/4 cup butter or baking margarine
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup soft brown sugar

Place these ingredients into a small saucepan and cook over a low heat until the butter has melted and the brown sugar has dissolved.  Butter the insides of a 12 hole large muffin tin and divide the sticky syrup equally among the muffin cups. If you don't have a large muffin tin, you can use two round cake tins.  Butter the insides well and divide the mixture between the cake tins. 

When the dough has risen remove it from the bowl, place it on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out into into a rough square about 12x12 inches. Spread soften butter liberally over the dough, about 1/4 cup of butter should do it.

Mix together 3/4 cup white (caster) sugar and 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon.  Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar over the buttered dough.  Roll the into a tight log shape and cut into 12 equal pieces. 

Place the slices into the muffin tins or arrange in the cake tins.  Lightly cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to double in size again.   Heat the oven to 350F/180C.  I start warming the oven while the rolls are rising.  I think it's important for every inch of the oven to be at the right temperature and the extra heat will help the dough to rise.

Now this next bit of information is VERY IMPORTANT:  when you are ready to bake the maple sticky buns, place the baking tins on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  The maple syrup will bubble and erupt almost like lava and you don't want to have to clean that out of your oven.  Bake the buns for about 20-25 minutes or until they are a light golden brown.  

When the buns are baked, remove them from the baking tins as soon as possible.  If the syrup cools, the buns will stick to the tin and you want that gooey goodness to ooze down covering each roll in a delicious maple glaze.

Serve warm and enjoy!  Be sure to wrap any extra buns in plastic and store in an airtight container.  You can even freeze some for later...IF you have any left.