Today I stayed in the Northeast and tried Martha’s Sticky Buns recipe from page 127.
Sticky buns are a popular dessert that can be found in food courts all around the country. My first encounter with a popular chain was back in 1997 when I was working on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Every day as I ascended from the subway escalator, I would be greeted with the enchanting scent of fresh cinnamon buns straight out of the oven. I tried to resist the temptation but eventually I surrendered to the intoxicating aroma and entered the store — it was love at first bite! At least once a week I would bring some buns back home to enjoy after dinner. Years later, this chain became very popular, and I started smelling those delicious buns everywhere, but something had changed. It wasn’t that they weren’t good, because of course they were! But they were a bit of a letdown from the buns I remembered. They were one of those foods that just smelled a little better than they tasted. I was always determined to try making a similar dessert by scratch, but I never got around to it — until today.
Making a dough with yeast is always a bit difficult. Although I’ve mastered pizza dough, I haven’t worked enough with yeast rolls to be totally confident in what I’m doing. I think that the dough came out a little thicker than it should have, and it was like a hybrid of a bun and a scone. It was very good, much better than store brought, but I’d like to keep working this type of dough until I’ve truly mastered it. These sticky buns did give my whole kitchen a heavenly aroma of sugary cinnamon and they tasted almost as good as they smelled! From the gooey pecan topping to the brown sugar and cinnamon filling with a touch of tangy sour cream, it was a real treat.
If you love those sticky buns you find in malls and airports, I’d highly recommend that you give Martha’s recipe a try and make them by scratch. It’s loving ode to the Pennsylvania Dutch Country’s rich culinary history.
