Honey Buns

I was planning to make savory snacks for Doug to take to the church worship video recording session, but he suggested I make something with honey on Friday afternoon.  I decided to re-try Honey Buns.  I had some notes for when I made a mini muffin pan version several years ago, but this time decided to go with more doughnut-sized versions.

Ingredients:

Buns:

• ¼ cup warm water (100°F to 115°F)
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ stick (¼ cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 2.25 teaspoons active dry yeast (or one pack)
  
• ½ cup milk (room temperature) 
  
• 1 large egg
• 10.65 ounces flour
  (I used a mix of ~4 ounces bread flour, and 6.5 ounces all purpose flour.
  The dough seemed too loose in the bread machine, so I added in 3 tablespoons more bread flour.)
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 - 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon (I used 3 teaspoons)
  

Glaze:

• 6 tablespoons honey
• 3/4 stick butter
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
  
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or water as needed
  

Instructions:

1. Warm the water, honey, and butter in the microwave. Add yeast and milk. 
2. Pour liquids into the pan of a bread machine. Stir in egg.
   
3. Add in flour and salt, and let run on the dough cycle. 
   (Or mix in stand mixer, and let rise for an hour or so until doubled.)
4. Prepare two 13 x 18 half sheet pans with Silpat mats or parchment paper, spraying lightly with cooking spray.
   
5. After dough has proofed, divide into two pieces.
6. Pat each dough piece into a 6" x 12" rectangle. 
   (It will be sticky - I sprayed my work surface and hands with some cooking spray.)
7. Sprinkle 1 - 1.5 teaspoons of cinnamon across each rectangle, brushing to evenly distribute.
   
8. Roll from the long side to form a log, so you end with about 12" wide log. Press the edge of the long side to seal against the log.
9. Using a sharp knife or floss, cut 1" wide slices so you make 12 slices per log.
10. Gently flatten each slice into a bun onto the prepared pan, 12 per pan spacing evenly from sides and other buns.
11. Let the buns rise for 30 minutes or so, until they seem puffy and doubled.
12. While the buns are rising, heat honey and butter in microwave until melted. Stir in confectioners sugar until smooth.
    (This will be thick - you may want to heat it some more, or add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or butter.)
13. Gently brush some glaze on every bun just before putting in oven.
14. Bake the buns about 20 - 24 minutes - they should have some gold color, but still be soft.
    (You might remove the pans a couple of minutes early, brush a bit more glaze on the buns, and then return them to the oven to finish baking.)
15. Let the buns cool for a few minutes on the pan.
16. While still warm, either dip the tops of the buns in the remaining glaze, or brush on every bun.
17. Let cool on a wire rack. 
    

Carole's Notes:

We both liked this -- a lot! We tried them still a bit warm, and *had* to eat a second one an hour or so later. Be sure you have friends you can share them with! They were soft and pillowy and tasted like honey!

The recipe is lightly adapted from http://www.runningfoodie.com/2008/11/eleven-oclockish-honey-buns.html