BB: Easy Sticky Buns

Sometimes it's really uncool to keep hungry people from a hot meal for the sake of just a few more photos (trust me!), so I apologize for the less than wonderful picture.

It was Melissa's turn to choose this week's Barefoot Bloggers recipe: Easy Sticky Buns. Indeed, this recipe is very easy - and the sticky buns are tasty - just make sure not to overbake them or you'll have Crispy Sticky Buns (trust me on this one too!).

The Barefoot Contessa's Easy Sticky Buns

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces
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, lightly packed
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with half of the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down.

Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 25 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes only max, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon), and cool completely a few minutes prior to serving.
- Recipe from the Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics