Rosie Makes Sticky Buns.

It's a gray, pouring-down-rain day. And Mr. Hawthorne wants Sticky Buns.

Interested? I thought so. Rosie's Sticky Buns (Makes 18) Dough 1 stick butter 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup milk (I use 1/2 cup skim and 1/2 cup heavy cream since that's what I have on hand.) 1 pkg. yeast 2 eggs, room temperature 4 cups or so flour 1 tsp salt Topping 1/2 stick butter 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup molasses 1/4 cup dark corn syrup 1/4 cup honey Filling 1 cup brown sugar (I used 1/2 cup light and 1/2 cup dark brown sugar.) 1 TB cinnamon 1/2 stick butter, softened 1 cup raisins 1 cup pecans In a large bowl, nuke the butter. Stir in sugar, then milk/cream mixture. Sprinkle in yeast and beat to dissolve. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add in 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well. Add in salt. When you get to the 4th cup of flour, I add in a little flour and turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Depending on humidity, you may need more or less than 4 cups. Start kneading the dough, and if it gets too sticky, add in a little flour. Continue kneading until you have a smooth, elastic dough. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume. Punch dough down, turn onto lightly floured surface, and roll into a 9 x 18-inch rectangle. For the filling, spread with the softened butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon, brown sugar, raisins and nuts. Roll into an 18-inch-long roll. Cut into 18 slices and place in baking pan. Set in warm place until doubled. For the topping, combine all ingredients and heat over low until butter is melted. Butter a 10 x 15-inch baking dish and pour topping evenly over bottom, tilting to coat. Bake in 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, until buns are golden brown. Immediately invert onto cookie sheet, leaving pan in place for 10-15 minutes, allowing the syrup to drain onto buns.

My ingredients for the dough: 1 stick butter 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup skim milk 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 pkg yeast 2 eggs, room temperature 4 +cups flour 1 tsp salt

Melt the butter and add sugar.

Stir to dissolve.

Whisk in milk and cream

Add in yeast. Beat to dissolve.

Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add in the first cup of flour, mixing well.

Second cup of flour in.

Third cup of flour.

Add in salt.

After the third cup of flour, I added in 1/2 cup flour and turned the mess onto my floured board. Start kneading. Add in the rest of the flour as needed. I actually needed a little more than a cup.

Keep kneading - about 10 minutes - until you have a nice, elastic smooth dough. Place in an oiled bowl, put in a warm place, and let the dough double in size.

Dough has doubled after about 3 hours.

Flour your fist first, then punch down!

Work the dough a bit. Flour a working surface and ...

... roll the dough out to a 9 x 18 inch rectangle.

While the dough rests, make the topping.Topping: 1/2 stick butter 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup molasses 1/4 cup dark corn syrup 1/4 cup honey (Pretend there's honey in the picture. I decided to add it in at the last minute.)

Combine all ingredients in small pan.

Heat over low heat until butter is melted.

Add in the honey.

Prepare a 9 x 15-inch pan by buttering it.

Then pour the topping in the bottom.

Ready for the filling. Ingredients for filling: 1/2 stick butter 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 1 TB cinnamon 1 cup raisins 1 cup chopped pecans

Slather butter over dough.

Then sprinkle brown sugars and cinnamon over top.

Add in nuts and raisins. Spread out evenly.

And start rolling up the dough.

Score the dough into 18 pieces.

And slice.

Place dough into prepared pan.

I figgered a little more butter on top couldn't hurt.

I just happened to have some raisins and dried cranberries macerating in dark rum.

I poured that on the "adult" side.

Set in a warm place and allow to double in size. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25- 30 minutes.

Immediately upon taking the pan out of the oven, invert it, so the topping can ooze over the buns. I forgot to turn the pan over so the syrup could drain onto the buns. However, I don't think my buns suffered or were compromised in any way. They just soaked up what was supposed to be the topping. At least no one complained.

Num yum.