Scott Peacock's Secret Pecan Rolls

These pecan rolls are cooking guru Scott Peacock's best kept secret. He shared his wonderful, intense recipe with Better Homes and Gardens. They are absolutely soft and covered in gooey sweet goodness, well worth the effort and all the rising time. It is an investment of time, but perfect for a baking day, and you will be well rewarded. 

Scott Peacock's Secret Pecan Rolls

Ingredients: 

Dough:

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water 

3/4 cup milk 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up

1/4 cup sour cream

2 eggs

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon salt

Topping:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup mild honey

pinch of salt

3 tablespoon water

1 cup pecan halves

Filling:

 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions: 

In bowl of a stand mixer stir together water 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 sour cream. Stir just until melted. Cool. Stir mixture  along with eggs and 1 1/2 cups of flour into the foamy yeast. Add the 1/4 cup sugar and the 1 tablespoon salt. Beat with the stand mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Mix until smooth.

Gradually beat in remaining 3 cups flour with mixer for 3 to 4 minutes until dough begins to pull away from sides of bowl and is only slightly sticky. Do not be tempted to add more flour.

Transfer dough to a bowl. Cover surface of dough with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with pan spray, then cover the bowl with a second piece of plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until double in size ( 90 minutes).

While dough is rising, butter the sides of a 3 quart rectangular glass baking dish. In a medium bowl stir together 1/2 cup softened butter, the 1 cup brown sugar, honey and a pinch of slat until well combined. Stir in 3 tablespoons water. Transfer topping to pan with a spatula to distribute in an even layer. Scatter pecan halves over the butter-sugar mixture. 

Remove the risen dough from bowl and gently roll out on a very lightly floured surface, to an 18 x 15 inch rectangle. 

Spread the 1/4 cup melted butter evenly over dough. In a bowl combine 1/4 cup melted butter evenly over dough. In a bowl combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar , cinnamon and pinch of salt; sprinkle evenly on dough. Distribute the 1/2 cup chopped pecans over the dough. Tightly roll the dough beginning at one long end, keeping the roll as uniform as possible. Pinch the edges to seal. Using a serrated knife, trim both ends. Then cut the roll in 12 slices. Arrange rolls in a baking dish, evenly spacing them in 4 rows of 3 each. Then use your hands to gently press the rolls into the pecans. Cover dish loosely with buttered plastic wrap and let rolls rise until fully doubled (60 minutes) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Uncover rolls and bake 40 minutes, rotating dish once and tenting loosely with foil when buns begin to brown too quickly. Let pecans rolls stand in dish of for 5 minutes. Invert onto serving platter. Serve warm. Makes 12 buns.