THE PERFECT STICKY BUN Dough: 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 1 teaspoon plus cup granulated sugar 1/3

1/3 cup warm water (between 110-115F) 3/4 cup mil 6 tablespoons (3/4 stic ) unsalted butter 1 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 and 3/4 cup unsifted bleached all purpose flour + 1/4 cup flour for dusting su rface 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 extra large egg 1 extra large egg yol 2 teaspoons vegetable oil or softened butter for dough-rising bowl Cinnamon filling: 1/2 cup granulated sugar blended with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1/4 cup firmly pac ed dar brown sugar 1 and 1/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) or 1 cup dar raisins 4T (1/2 stic = 57g) butter, softened Cinnamon Nut Stic y Mixture:

To ma e the dough: Combine yeast with one teaspoon of the granulated sugar in a small heatproof bow l. Pour over the warm water, stir and let the yeast soften in the water for 10 to 15 minutes, or until swollen and puffed. In the meantime, place the mil , bu tter, vanilla and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a medium-sized saucepan; Scald the mixture, stir, then remove from the heat to cool to between 110-115F . Combine three cups of the flour with the salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat the egg and egg yol into the cooled mil mixture; blend in the yeast mixture. Pour the mil -yeast mixture over the flour and stir well, using a flat wooden paddle or firm spatula. Wor in the remaining cup flour, as needed, to form a slightl y stic y dough. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured wor surface and nea d for 5 minutes; the dough will be smooth and soft, and will stic to the wor surface here and there in patches. Use a dough scraper to move the dough as nec essary and enough flour to eep most of the dough from adhering to the surface. Grease the inside of a medium-sized bowl with the 2 teaspoons oil or softened b utter. Place the ball of dough in the bowl and turn to coat all sides with the oil (or butter). Cover the bowl tightly with a sheet of plastic wrap and let th e dough rise in a warm, cozy place for 1 hour, or until doubled in bul . To ma e the cinnamon filling: In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon-sugar mixture with the brown sugar and nut s (or raisins); set aside. Have the 4 tablespoons softened butter at hand. To ma e the cinnamon-nut stic y mixture: Cream the 8 tablespoons softened butter, dar brown sugar, honey, cinnamon and v anilla extract in a small mixing bowl. Set aside. Have the pecan halves (or wa lnuts) at hand. Punch down the dough. Film the inside of 14 jumbo muffin tins with non-stic co

8 tablespoons (1 stic ) unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup firmly pac ed dar brown sugar 3 tablespoons mild honey (such as clover) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 and 2/3 cup pecan halves and pieces (or walnuts) non-stic coo ing spray for muffin tins

o ing spray. On a lightly floured wor surface, roll out the dough to a sheet m easuring 16 inches by 16 inches. Spread the 4 tablespoons softened butter (set aside in the cinnamon filling step) over the surface of the dough and sprin le e venly with the sugar-spice-nut (or raisin) mixture. Press down on the mixture w ith the palms of your hands. Then roll the dough into a fat sausage, tuc ing ov er the ends as you roll. Plump the roll with the palms of your hand and seal th e long seam end by pinching it with our fingers. Gently elongate the roll by pu lling it slightly until it is about 21 inches long. With a sharp nife, cut the roll into 14 even slices. Place big dollops of the cinnamon-nut stic y mixture on the bottom of each muffi n tin cavity, dividing it evenly among them. Press the pecans on top of the sti c y mixture. Place a spiral slice of the yeast dough on top of the stic y mixtu re and nuts and press it down lightly. Cover pans of stic y buns with a sheet o f plastic wrap and let rise for 45 to 50 minutes, or until barely doubled in bul . Meanwhile, preheat oven to 385F. Place each tray of buns on a coo ie sheet (to help catch any of the stic mixture that may bubble over) and ba e for 27 to 30 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown on top. (Be careful not to underba e, especially if ma ing the buns in jumbo muffin tins.) Transfer the tins to co oling rac s and let stand for 7 to 8 minutes. Carefully remove each bun from th e muffin tin to a large plate or jelly roll pan. Some of the stic y mixture and pecans will remain in the bottom. With a small spoon, scoop out this mixture a nd top each bun with it. The stic /mixture glaze will set and the nuts will bon d to it as it cools. Let the buns cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. (They can be made in advance, wrapped individually and refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for 2 months.)