maple pecan sticky rolls

Ingredients:

dough: 

3/4 cup of warm milk 

2 tsps of active dry yeast

2 tbsp of maple sugar (or white sugar)

1 egg 

2 tbsps of butter, melted

3/4 tsp of salt 

2.5 cups of flour

filling: 

4 tbsps of butter, softened

3/4 cups of brown sugar 

2 tbsps of maple sugar, optional

1 tbsp of cinnamon 

Maple pecan topping: 

6oz bag of chopped pecans

6 tbsps of butter

1/3 cup of milk

1/3 cup of pure maple syrup

1/3 cup of packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

supplies:

Stand mixer with dough hook or Multiple Mixing bowls

Mixing spoons

Non-stick spray

Kitchen towel

Parchment paper

9x13 baking dish 

Sheet pan

directions:

pour the warm milk in a bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. do not mix, just let it sit for about 5 minutes so the yeast can activate. make sure the temperature of the milk is around 100 degrees. in separate bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine sugar, butter, salt, and egg. add in the warm milk and yeast mixture, and combine well. using the dough hook on a stand mixer or a wooden spoon (dusted with flour), slowly add the flour to the wet ingredients and combine. if the dough seems too sticky, add a little more flour. if using a spoon: once the dough is too tough to mix with a spoon, knead it with your hands for about 3 minutes on a lightly floured surface. if using a stand mixer, knead with the dough hook for 3 minutes. after kneading, grease a large bowl with non-stick spray, and put the dough inside. cover the bowl with a towel and let rise for about an hour.

grease a baking dish with non-stick spray and line the parchment paper. pour the pecans into the bottom of the dish. in a saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients for the topping and bring to a boil over medium heat. let the mixture boil for about 2 minutes, then pour over the nuts. set aside until the cinnamon rolls are rolled out. 

after the dough has risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin, until it is in the shape of a small rectangle. brush the butter onto the dough, and generously cover with brown sugar and cinnamon. pat the cinnamon sugar mix into the dough. with the longest side of the dough facing you, begin to roll up the dough, making sure it is a tight roll (so when you cut the rolls, they don’t fall apart). when you get to the end, pinch the end of the dough into itself slightly. with a sharp knife, cut into 6-8 rolls. put the cinnamon rolls in, the baking dish on top of the maple topping, with a little space between them. cover with a towel and let them rise for another 30-45 minutes. 

once the rolls have risen, bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on 375 degrees. once golden, remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. then, carefully invert the pan onto a sheet pan, so the maple topping melts down the rolls. serve warm.