Growing up on the Main Line of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, we had access to some of the finest art, most exquisite music, and deepest American history imaginable.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Rodin Museum. The Barnes Foundation. The Philadelphia Orchestra. The Curtis Institute of Music. The Liberty Bell. Carpenter's Hall. Independence Hall. The Betsy Ross House.
We also had some of the finest cuisine in the country. Georges Perrier's Le Bec Fin headed the list. (Sadly, it closed several years ago.) Oh, and sticky buns.
Wait... What? Sticky buns?
Back then, nothing made my weekend like a trip to the Lancaster County Farmers Market in Wayne, Pennsylvania - not in Lancaster County. While the market was in a neighboring suburb, the vendors were all from the Lancaster area.
To walk in the door was all I needed. I could smell the incredible rotisserie chickens roasting in the back right corner. Now that I am thinking about it, I wonder why Mom and Dad never bought one of them...
Each trip involved a stop at Clyde Weaver's stand to get cold cuts, including dried chipped beef for making cream chipped beef on toast - a family favorite. We also had our favorite vegetable stand, where Mom would buy freshly shelled peas, lima beans and seasonal bunches of thin asparagus.
The last stop was always the Amish bakery, where we would buy a block of sticky buns. If you haven't had one, they are pretty much as described. Sticky. Buns.
They are made with wonderful yeast dough, sprinkled with a sugar and cinnamon mixture (sometimes with nuts, raisins, or currants), then rolled, sliced and baked atop a gooey, sticky mixture of sugar and corn syrup. They are then turned out, so the goo becomes an addictive topping. What's not to like?
When I was in high school, the farmers market moved from Wayne to Strafford, and it changed. It went upscale. I still loved going, but I really miss the original. I still go there often, in my mind, and I can still smell those chickens.
Why the heck didn't then buy one?
~ David
Philadelphia Sticky Buns
3 to 3 1/2 cups flour
1 package dry active yeast (1/4 ounce)
1/4 cup tepid water
1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
pinch salt
2 egg yolks
1 cup tepid milk
butter for greasing bowl
6 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
1 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup seedless raisins
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Pour the tepid water into a bowl and sprinkle the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar over top. Let it stand 2-3 minutes, stir, then set in a warm place for 5 minutes or until yeast bubbles up.
Place 3 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar and a pinch salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle blade. Stir to combine. Make a well in the bottom. Add the yeast, egg yolks, and tepid milk. Mix at low speed until ingredients come together in a sticky mass.
Change to the dough hook, and start kneading at low speed. Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour a little at a time, until you have a firm dough. Knead on medium-low speed for 6-8 minutes, or until dough is silky and smooth.
Grease a large ceramic bowl with butter. Place the ball of dough in the bowl, then turn it so that the top will be lightly buttered. Cover bowl with a kitchen cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume - about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and the corn syrup to a smooth paste. Divide the mixture between two 9-inch cake pans and swirl to coat the bottoms.
In another bowl, mix the remaining brown sugar, raisins, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Punch the dough down and, on a floured surface, roll out to an 18-inch by 10-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with the sugar-raisin mixture.
Starting on the long side, roll the dough tightly into a cylinder. It should be at least 18-inches long, and 2-3 inches thick. Cut the cylinder in 1 1/4-inch slices. Place one slice, cut side up, in the center of each pan. Place remaining slices around the central one. You should have between 7 and 8 rolls per pan.
Set the buns in a draft-free place and allow them to rise until doubled in bulk - about 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Brush the tops of the buns with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter, and bake in the middle of the oven for 22-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Place an inverted platter on top of each pan, and flip it over immediately, allowing all the gooey goodness to follow. Let cool till lukewarm before serving.
Makes 14-16 sticky buns. Labels: cinnamon, dark brown sugar, light corn syrup, philadelphia sticky buns, raisins, sticky buns
