Sticky Buns and baking pans
We love pecan sticky buns. We nibble at them for breakfast, lunch, mid-afternoon snacks, and dinner dessert--not all on the same day, mind you.
Until today I've baked sticky buns in 9" x 13" pans, or 9" x 9" pans. Regardless of which I chose the center bun or bun(s) would remain incompletely baked and doughy when the perimeter bun's were perfectly done.
Reducing the size of the pan to 9 x 9 didn't solve the problem, merely minimized it. Our convection oven didn't solve the problem. For a number of years I've done my best to balance over-baked in the perimeter and doughy in the center.
A couple of years ago I bought a three cavity pan from Chicago Metallic specifically designed to bake three contrasting lasagnes simultaneously. I didn't buy it to make lasagne. I've never used it to bake lasagne. I bought it as a relatively inexpensive pate and terrine mold.
Today I used it to bake three rows of pecan sticky buns.
It worked perfectly. I checked the final internal temperature of a random half-a-dozen buns. The temps were nearly identical. No more doughy sticky buns!
Hurrah!
David G
Comments
Hi David,
Thanks so much for sharing your discovery! I never would have thought of a lasagna pan because I have never seen one like yours before. I too have had the same problems with rolls/buns in round pans and have tried what you have tried with no significant change in the final results. I had give up and haven't' baked buns/rolls for ages because of it but now I see I can. All I need is the right pan….and here I thought I had all the baking pans I needed….Guess there is always room for one more. Now I just need to find one :)
Oh, your sticky buns look absolutely scrumptious! They would not last our a morning in our home :)
Take Care and thanks again for sharing your great discovery.
Janet
Hi Janet,
It's called a Lasagne Trio Pan, made by Chicago Metallic (a bake-ware vendor I trust) and is available through Amazon. I bought mine at King Arthur's store in VT about five years ago.
Although I've never made lasagne in it I have made multiple pates and terrines in it--I cut narrow wooden slats to fit the top of the cavities; wrapped in aluminum foil and weighed down with similarly wrapped bricks they work wonderfully to supply the prescribed presses for finishing pates. I've also used it to bake "cocktail" size bread loaves for parties.
Now I've added a fourth use, and I'm still looking for more.
Regards,
David G
Hi David,
Thanks so much for the info. I will check it out.
Take Care,
Janet
Would you have a recipe for the cocktail size bread loaves? I would be interested in making this.
I just made a NY deli rye, and I put a half sheet pan holding a cast iron skillet on top forming a makeshift three-loaf, Pullman-like pan. I put caraway seeds in one loaf and none in the other two. I don't remember exactly how much dough I made. Each cavity in this pan hold 44 fluid ounces, and I filled them about 2/3rds full. The dough was 40% whole rye and 60% bread flour at 65% hydration with small amounts of powdered milk and canola oil, but I couldn't find my notes. sorry.
D G
Thanks for the input on the Rye. I do have a Rye Bread Recipe. I'll adjust my recipe according to your method.
David, these look so yummy! Would you share the recipe with us?
I wanted to post today and ask, cause I was looking everywhere for a good dough for cin. rolls or sticky buns.
I have tried many, but not found one that I like. Yours look great! I'd love to give it a try!!
Thanks,
Faith
I've sent you the recipe in a personal message.
I got the recipe about 12 years ago at a one-day King Arthur class that roamed the USA promoting KA flour. It was a great class, but I think KA discontinued it.
I generally won't copy or distribute copyrighted material, but I feel in this case KA won't object. I searched their recipe websight archives, but the recipe isn't there.
It's easy. Enjoy.
David G