Walnut Sticky Bun

Ingredients

Dough

2/3 cup whole milk

5 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (from one 1/4-ounce envelope)

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature, plus 1/2 tablespoon, melted

Topping

1 3/4 cups chopped walnut

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation

Dough

Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat or in a microwave until an instant-read thermometer registers 110°–115°. Transfer milk to a 2-cup measuring cup; stir in 1 Tbsp. sugar. Sprinkle yeast over milk and whisk to blend. Let sit until yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs; whisk until smooth. Combine remaining 4 Tbsp. sugar, flour, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add milk mixture. With mixer running, add 1/2 cup room-temperature butter, 1 piece at a time, blending well between additions. Dough will be sticky but should not be greasy. If it is greasy, process for an additional 1–2 minutes.

Brush a medium bowl with some melted butter; place dough in bowl. Brush top of dough with remaining melted butter; cover with plastic .

Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, 1–1 1/2 hours.

Topping

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread out nuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and slightly darkened, 10–12 minutes. Let cool completely. Set 1/2 cups nuts aside for buns.

                           

Melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar until melt for about 7 mnt than add cream, honey, salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until glaze is golden brown and glossy, 3–4 minutes. Pour glaze into baking pan, tilting to coat bottom and sides.Sprinkle toasted walnut over bottom of baking pan and let cool.


Filling
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt in a medium bowl until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Set filling aside.
Punch down dough; transfer to a floured work surface. Lightly dust top with flour. Follow our step-by-step guide for assembling buns with filling and 3/4 cup walnut. Store remaining walnut airtight at room temperature. Let buns rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Arrange a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°.Bake, rotating pan halfway through and tenting with foil if browning too quickly, until buns are golden brown, filling is bubbling, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of buns registers 185°, about 50 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack.