Go ahead and lick your lips...you might as well start practicing because these are lip-licking delicious! And the 2nd best thing about this recipe is it makes 24 rolls! The best thing is how they taste...but I've already mentioned that. So, imagine 24 rolls, warm from the oven, screaming at you to be eaten...take my advice and only BAKE a dozen...it's much less pressure...and you can freeze the other dozen to bake another day when your resolve has weakened and you can't take one more day of lettuce and lemon juice.
This is my new Halloween tablecloth made with CHEAP fabric from JoAnn's Fabrics...$5.00 a yard! I couldn't resist, especially after seeing one very similar to this in Pottery Barn which was boo-coooo bucks! It's a huge border print and would be great around a quilt - which I thought about - but I'm SO OVER cheap fabric on quilts...so I sewed on a candy-corn binding, called it good and won't care one bit if the mister and boy slop all over it.
Pumpkin cookies with chocolate frosting were my inspiration for these pumpkin sticky buns...pumpkin and chocolate...two flavors destined to fall in love and marry. These buns take a bit of time to make, they have to rise for two hours and then after they are shaped they have to rise for an additional 45 minutes...and then they bake for about 30 minutes...so give yourself plenty of time - they're worth it.
Since there was NO way I could eat all 24 rolls by myself, although I was willing to try, I made a few deliveries to friends and they all reported back that they were GREAT! And they wouldn't lie or else they'll be off my delivery list!
Pumpkin Sticky Buns With Chocolate Glaze ~ Adapted from Family Circle Magazine and some Family Recipes
1 envelope (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
1 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
Filling:
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
4 to 5 tablespoons heavy cream, for glazing tops of buns before baking
**Glaze:
8 oz. Semi-sweet Chocolate (do not use chocolate chips, they are formulated to hold their shape and don't melt well)
6 tablespoons cream
Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl (do not use an electric mixer, just your own brute strength and a wooden spoon.) Add 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar, let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Beat in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, the eggs, butter and pumpkin. Gradually add 5 cups of the flour and the salt, scraping sides of the bowl, until soft dough forms. Turn out onto floured surface and knead remaining 1/2 cup flour into dough, adding more if sticky. (Okay, at this point if you want to use an electric mixer with a dough attachment to knead the dough, that's okay by me.) Knead for 10 minutes, until smooth. Dough will be soft.
Grease a large bowl, add dough. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until doubled, about 2 hours. Coat two 13x9-inch baking pans with nonstick cooking spray.
Make Filling: Mix butter, granulated and brown sugars, and cinnamon in a bowl.
Punch down dough. Roll out half onto a lightly floured surface to form a 16x10-inch rectangle. Spread with half of the filling. Starting on one long side, roll up jelly-roll fashion. Pinch seam to close. Repeat with second half of dough and filling. Cut each log crosswise into 12 generous 1-inch pieces. Arrange 12 pieces in prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap, let sit in a warm spot until buns double in size, about 45 minutes. (You can refrigerate one pan overnight or cover plastic with foil and freeze at this point. Thaw in fridge overnight, then thaw on counter while preheating oven. Saving the second batch in the freezer for another day is a good thing to do...hard...but good!)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover pans and spoon heavy cream over the tops of each roll, about a teaspoon on each one. Bake buns until they are lightly golden brown and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. After 20 minutes do the touch test...if the buns feel done on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, they are done, avoid over-baking or the buns will not be as good! Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 10 minutes.
Glaze: In a small sauce pan melt chocolate over low heat. Stir in cream until combined. Drizzle over top of rolls. **If you want a more traditional glaze then you can mix powdered sugar and milk together until you get the consistency you want and drizzle that over your buns...or try a combination of both!
