Sourdough Maple Pecan Sticky Buns

Build the Levain:
In a clean jar, mix the sourdough starter, bread flour, and water.
Cover and set in a warm location (between 75-80ºF) for about five hours until it is at least doubled and bubbly.
Alternatively, skip this step and mix 150g of active sourdough starter into your dough.
50 grams Sourdough Starter, 50 grams Bread Flour, 50 grams Water
Mix the Brioche Dough:
Scald the milk in a small saucepan until just about boiling and pour it into a small bowl or liquid measuring cup to cool until warm (not hot).
In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the flour, salt, sugar, and orange zest. Rub the orange zest into the dry ingredients with your fingers to distribute the oils.
Add the eggs and all of the levain to the bowl and begin mixing on low speed. Slowly pour in the warm milk until you have a shaggy dough.
Continue mixing on medium speed for a couple of minutes and add small slices of cold butter to the dough at a time while mixing. Wait until the butter is fully incorporated until you add the next piece.
Continue to mix the dough for 10-15 more minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test, slaps the sides of the bowl, is tacky, and easily slides off of the dough hook.
150 grams Whole Milk, 550 grams All-purpose flour, 60 grams Granulated Sugar, 11 grams Kosher Salt, Orange Zest, 3 Eggs, Levain, 113 grams Unsalted Butter
Bulk Fermentation:
Transfer the dough to a medium bowl, cover, and place it in a warm location for bulk fermentation. At 78ºF, bulk fermentation takes about 6 hours (longer if cooler).
Bulk fermentation is complete when the dough is doubled, domed in the bowl, and smooth.
Overnight Proof:
Cover the bowl and place it into a refrigerator to proof overnight and up to 48 hours.
Make the Maple Pecan Topping:
If you haven't done so, toast the pecans in a skillet until fragrant and chop. Set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the maple syrup, butter, vanilla, pinch of salt, and dark brown sugar. Constantly stir and bring to a boil for 30 seconds.
Remove from the heat and immediately pour into your 9x13" baking pan covering the entire bottom. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top and set aside.
56 grams Unsalted Butter, 100 grams Dark Brown Sugar, 200 grams Pecans, 160 grams Maple Syrup, 1 pinch Kosher Salt, 1 TBS Vanilla Extract
Make the Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
Melt the butter and set it aside to cool slightly while you make the filling.
Use your hands to mix the brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a bowl together and break apart most of the clumps.
Set aside the filling while you roll out the dough.
100 grams Dark Brown Sugar, 56 grams Unsalted Butter, 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Slice the Sticky Buns:
Punch down the cold dough and roll it out into a rectangular slab 12x18" on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin. Try to keep the corners neat and trim them with a pastry wheel if needed to square off.
Brush the melted butter over the surface and then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling evenly over the slab of dough, leaving a slight border on the edges.
Make marks about 1 ½ inches apart on the long end with a pastry wheel to divide the dough into 12 even slices.
Now, use the pastry wheel to slice 12 strips and then roll the sticky buns up into neat buns.
Alternatively, roll up the dough into a log after filling and use a sharp serrated knife (like a bread knife) or dental floss to cut the slices like making cinnamon rolls.
Final Proof:
Arrange the 12 buns on top of the maple pecan caramel, tent with foil or plastic wrap, and place in a warm location for the final proof.
At 78ºF, the final proof takes about 2-3 hours. The rolls are finished proofing when they've grown about 50% in size, start to touch each other, and poofy. If you poke the rolls with a floured finger, they should leave a slight indentation.
Bake and Flip :
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
Bake the rolls for 30 minutes until the filling just starts to bubble and the tops are light golden brown. If using an instant-read thermometer, the dough temp should be between 190-200ºF.
Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then, place a large platter (or wire rack with a platter underneath) on top of the pan. Wearing heat proof gloves, quickly flip the pan over and tap the pan to help release the warm and gooey sticky buns.
Sprinkle the tops with optional flaky salt. The sticky buns are best enjoyed warm or reheated slightly!
Flaky Salt

Sourdough Maple Pecan Sticky Buns

Equipment

Ingredients

Levain

Sourdough Sticky Bun Dough

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

Maple Pecan Topping

Instructions

Notes