Maple Pecan Sticky Rolls

We've been having some really crazy weather here recently; first, it snowed about 35 cm, then a portion of that melted, and then it snowed again! At one point, I had nearly 60 cm in my backyard!

Yesterday, the temperature climbed up to 12°C, and with the help of strong winds, most of the snow melted.

This morning? It's -4°C and snowing again!

And Wednesday? It's supposed to be nearly 20°C and sunny. Canada, eh?

So, to whomever is angering Mother Nature, please knock it off!

Anyway, the best way to beat the blues is to bake something, so here's my recipe for Maple Pecan Sticky Rolls. They're sweet, light, and the way I've prepared them, they are 100% vegan.

Enjoy!

Just to clear some confusion, I'm including pictures of the filling and rolling process:

Note how I've left a strip of dough clear of the filling, above; this will act as the seam when rolling up.

And above here, this is what the roll looks like once it's been rolled up and placed seam-side down. At this point, cut the dough into half, then quarters, then cut each quarter into three equal slices.

Maple Pecan Sticky Rolls

Good to make ahead for company. Makes 12 rolls.

Rolls:

1 cup (or 250 ml) of almond milk or milk of choice

1 tbsp (or 15 ml) of pure maple syrup

1/4 cup (or 60 ml) of vegan butter, such as Earth Balance

2 1/2 tsp (or 12.5 ml) of active dry yeast

1/2 tsp (or 2.5 ml) of sea salt

3 cups (or 750 ml) of unbleached, all-purpose flour

Filling:

1/4 cup (or 60 ml) of vegan butter, such as Earth Balance

2 tbsp (or 30 ml) of pure maple syrup

1/2 cup (or 125 ml) of sugar, I use organic cane

1 tbsp (or 15 ml) of ground cinnamon

1 tsp (or 5 ml) of vanilla extract or whiskey, optional

1/2 cup (or 125 ml) of chopped pecans

Glaze:

2 cups (or 500 ml) of confectioners sugar

1 tsp (or 5 ml) of vanilla extract or whiskey

1-3 tbsp (or 15-45 ml) of almond milk or milk of choice

1) Line a rectangular cake pan with parchment paper, and set aside. In a small saucepan, melt the vegan butter with the maple syrup and the almond milk. Remove from the heat, then transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer. Cool to lukewarm. When lukewarm, add the yeast, stirring just to mix. Allow to bloom for 10 minutes.

2) Using a dough hook, beat in the flour and salt until it forms a ball. Continue to knead for 5-10 minutes. Cover with plastic or a damp tea towel, then set in a warm place, such as a sunny counter or the top of a refrigerator, until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

3) For the filling, mix the vegan butter with the maple syrup, sugar, vanilla/whiskey, and cinnamon. Punch down the dough, then roll on a lightly floured surface to a thin rectangle. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough, leaving one small strip of one of the long sides bare. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the filling. Starting at the thin strip opposite the one you left bare, roll the dough up, and set thin side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, or a piece of dental floss, cut into 12 equal slices. Place in the parchment-lined pan, then cover with plastic or a damp tea towel, and allow to double in size, about 30 minutes.

4) Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Uncover the rolls, then bake for 25-30 minutes, or until light golden brown.

5) For the glaze, stir the confectioners sugar with the vanilla/whiskey and the almond milk until smooth. If too thin, add more milk; if too thick, add more confectioners sugar. Drizzle over the warm rolls.

Will keep, in a covered container, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or the freezer for up to 6 months.

#breakfast #maple #baking #vegan #Dairyfree