Apple Cider Sticky Buns
 
 
The best fall breakfast treat ever - apple cider sticky buns!! They are made with the most perfect brioche dough, filled with apples and cinnamon sugar, and topped with apple cider caramel.
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the brioche
  • 1¾ cups (245 g) flour
  • 2 cups (300 g) bread flour
  • 2¼ tsp (7 g) active dry yeast
  • ⅓ cup (65 g) sugar
  • 2½ tsp kosher salt
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 18 tbsp (255 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 10-12 pieces
For the apple cider sticky buns
  • ½ recipe of brioche dough
  • 1 cup (240 g) apple cider
  • ¼ tsp grated orange zest
  • pinch of ground cloves
  • pinch of ground ginger
  • pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into ½-inch pieces
  • ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
  • 1½ cups (330 g) packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (85 g) honey
  • ¼ cup (60 g) heavy cream
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
  • ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the brioche
  1. Combine the all purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, ½ cup cold water, and the eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Mix on low for 3-4 minutes, or until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on low for another 3-4 minutes.
  2. Add the butter to the dough one piece at a time, mixing on low for a total of 10 minutes. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure all of the butter gets incorporated.
  3. Once the butter is completely incorporated, mix on medium speed for another 15 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and mix for 1 minute. At this point the dough should be slapping against the sides of the mixer bowl.
  4. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap directly onto the top of the dough. Place in the refrigerator and allow to proof for 6 hours or overnight.
For the apple cider sticky buns
  1. Mix the brioche dough and allow it to proof in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight.
  2. In a small saucepan, heat the cider, orange zest, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg until just about to boil. Decrease heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until reduced to ½ cup. Remove from the heat and add the apples, stirring to combine. Allow to cool to room temperature. Drain the apples, using a bowl to catch the infused cider. Set both aside.
  3. Place the butter in a saucepan and add 1¼ cups (275 g) of the brown sugar. Over medium-high heat melt the sugar and butter and bring them to a boil. Whisk in the cider mixture, honey, cream, and salt. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
  4. When ready to bake, dust a work surface lightly with flour. Remove the brioche dough from the fridge and place it on the work surface. Roll the dough into a 12x12-inch square.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar, regular sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle this evenly over the dough. Scatter the apples on top of the cinnamon sugar.
  6. Roll the brioche dough toward you starting from the top of the square as you would a jelly roll, rolling as tightly as possible to form a spiral. Trim ¼-inch from both ends of the roll.
  7. Cut the roll crosswise into 8 equal pieces.
  8. Pour the apple cider goo into a 9x13-inch baking pan. Place the buns in the pan cut side down and evenly space them apart as much as possible. Cover with plastic wrap and proof for 2 hours, or until the dough is puffy and the buns are touching.
  9. Heat oven to 350F. Bake for 30-40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until golden on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20-30 minutes. Invert the buns onto a serving platter, spooning any extra goo on top.
Notes
Recipe from Pastry Love
Recipe by Joanne Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2020/10/apple-cider-sticky-buns.html