f O O Q AMERICAN CLASSICS
t h e i d e a l p e c a n r o l l s
C A N B E T H E S T A R O F A W E E K E N D
B R E A K F A S T O R A B I R T H D A Y B R U N C H .
T H E Y T R A V E L W E L L , T O O , K E E P I N G
T H E I R Y E A S T Y C H A R M W H E N B A K E D
A H E A D A N D P R E S E N T E D A S
A S U R P R I S E F O R Y O U R H O S T .
IN G R E D IE N T S
D O U G H
/
cup warm water (
105
°-
110
°F)
1
pkg. active dry yeast
34
cup milk
6
Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut up
/
cup crème fraîche or
sour cream
2
eggs
4
/ cups unbleached
all-purpose flour
/
cup granulated sugar
1
Tbsp. kosher salt
T O P P IN G
V
2
cup unsalted butter, softened
1
cup packed brown sugar
/
cup mild honey
Pinch salt
3
Tbsp. water
1
cup pecan halves
F IL L IN G
/
cup unsalted butter, melted
/
cup granulated sugar
/
cup packed brown sugar
1
tsp. freshly ground Ceylon
cinnamon or ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
1/2
cup chopped pecans, lightly
toasted
Vi
cup pitted chopped
Medjool dates
S T IR D O U G H T O G E T H E R In bowl of a stand mixer stir together w ater and yeast; let stand until foamy.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low, heat milk just until it begins to steam. Add the 6 tablespoons
cut-up butter and crèm e fraîche. Stir until just melted. Cool. Stir milk-butter-crème fraîche mixture into
yeast mixture along with eggs and 1
/2 cups of the flour. Add the granulated sugar and the 1
tablespoon
kosher salt. Beat with the stand mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. M IX U N T IL
S M O O T H Gradually beat in remaining 3 cups flour with mixer fo r 3 to 4 minutes until dough begins to
pull away from sides of bowl and is only slightly sticky. “ Don’t be tem pted to add m ore flour,” says Scott.
L E T IT R IS E Transfer dough to a bowl. Cover surface of dough with plastic wrap that has been lightly
coated with softened
butter,
then cover bowl with second piece of plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place
until double in size (about 90 minutes). “ Don’t rush it. Slow rising creates better flavor,” says Scott.
M A K E S T IC K Y T O P P IN G W hile dough is rising, butter sides of a 3-quart rectangular glass baking dish.
In a medium bowl stir together the /2 cup softened butter, the 1
cup brown sugar, honey, and pinch of salt
until well-combined. Stir in the 3 tablespoons water. S P R E A D IN P A N Transfer topping to pan and with
a spatula distribute in an even layer. A D D N U T S Scatter pecan halves over butter-sugar mixture. “ Look
for fresh pecans. I prefer Georgia’s," Scott says. “ Buy a pound and keeping them in the freezer— it’s less
expensive than buying a few ounces at a time. I order my pecans from Pearson Farms.”
(pearsonfarm.com)
192
MARCH 2010 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
