Maple Pecan Sticky Buns

Yield: 12 pastries

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

For the filling:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1 1/2 sticks butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar.

4. Place 1 spoonful of the mixture in each of the muffin cups.

5. Lightly flour a wooden cutting board and a rolling pin.

6. Unfold one of the puff pastry sheets, and brush with half the melted butter.

7. Use the rolling pin to lightly roll, creating a smooth surface on the puff pastry.

8. Leaving a 1-inch border, sprinkle with half the brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts.

9. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry snugly into a tube shape, finishing with the seam side down to hold the roll together.

10. Trim off the ends to even out (about 1/2 inch of dough) and discard. Slice into 6 equal pieces, and place them, spiral-side up, in 6 of the muffin cups.

11. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry.

12. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the sticky buns are golden brown on top.

13. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then carefully invert the buns onto the parchment paper to cool completely.

Note: You may need to spoon out any topping that remains in the cups onto the buns so that you get every last drop.