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cardamom-walnut-rolls.md

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Walnut-Maple Buns

IMG_3451

Makes 12 buns

Special Equipment:

13 x9-inch pan (preferably metal), stand mixer (for the Sweet Yeast Dough)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups walnut halves or pieces (7oz/200g)
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup (5.6 oz / 160g)
  • Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup plus ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar (5.8 oz / 165g)
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (4 oz / 113g)
  • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (0.11 oz / 3g)
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
  • Sweet Yeast Dough, chilled
  • All-purpose flour, for rolling out

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven and toast the nuts: Arrange an oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Scatter the walnuts on a small rimmed baking sheet and toast, shaking halfway through, until they're golden brown and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Place the nuts inside a plastic bag and seal, pressing out all the air, then bash the nuts lightly with a rolling pin to crush them into tiny bits. Set aside. (Turn the oven off.)

  2. Make the sticky topping: In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup, vanilla, ½ cup brown sugar, 4 tablespoons butter, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring often, until it comes to a boil. Boil for about 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and pour into the bottom of the pan (reserve the saucepan for melting more butter). Scatter the crushed walnuts evenly over the liquid and set aside.

  3. Prepare the filling: In a small bowl, combine the cardamom, orange zest, and remaining ⅓ cup brown sugar and ½ teaspoon salt and massage with your fingertips until the zest is worked into the sugar and the mixture is fragrant. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in the reserved saucepan over low heat. Set the butter aside to cool.

  4. Roll out the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press down on it all over with the heel of your hand to expel the built-up gas from the first rise. Tugging at the edges to form four corners, stretch the dough to coax it into an even, rectangular shape. Dust the top and underside of the dough with more flour and roll it out, dusting with more flour as needed, into a ¼-inch-thick rectangle measuring about 20 x9 inches.

  5. Form the buns: Brush the cooled, melted butter all across the surface of the dough in an even layer, working all the way to the edges. Scatter the cardamom filling over the dough, rubbing it gently into the dough with your hands so it adheres and spreading into any bare spots so the entire surface is covered. Starting at one of the long sides, roll up the dough like a jelly roll into a tight spiraled log and let it rest seam-side down on the surface. Squeeze the log where it's a bit thicker in the center and tug outward to elongate and even out the thickness.

  6. Cut and place in the prepared pan: Use a serrated knife to trim off a ½-inch-thick slice from each end, revealing the spiral. Try to work quickly while the dough is still cool and easier to slice. Cut the log in half crosswise, then each piece in half again. Cut each piece into thirds so you have 12 more-or-less- equal pieces. Place each piece cut-side down in the prepared pan on top of the walnuts, spacing evenly in a 3 x 4 grid.

  7. Second rise: Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let the buns rise at room temperature until they're about 50 percent expanded in size, 40 to 60 minutes.

  8. Meanwhile, preheat the oven: Arrange an oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake and unmold: Uncover the pan and bake until the buns are puffed and golden brown across the surface, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the buns rest 5 minutes. Cut between the sides of the pan and the buns with a small offset spatula or butter knife to loosen them, then place a wire rack on top of the buns and invert the entire pan and rack together in one motion-there might be hot leaking caramel, so use caution and work over a sink if you can. Remove the pan slowly and scrape off any nuts that have stuck in the pan and spread them back onto the buns. Let the buns cool on the rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NB. Be careful that you don't overproof the dough in the pan since this will produce a harder textured bun rather than a soft, bready one. If you wait until the buns hit the usual indicator of "doubled in size," they'll be a bit too far gone. Go with the "50 percent" indicator and trust they will expand dramatically in the oven.