Cinnamon, Pecan and Caramel Bun

My children love cinnamon buns, but I often have trouble timing the raising of yeast in the winter to have this ready in time for a morning treat, without getting up at the crack of dawn. I have always admired Colette Commins and have adapted this recipe from her cookbook "The Farm Kitchen". I am privelleged to know Colette and her style of cooking, from scratch, has often inspired me to cook up something from the produce I have in my garden. This is my version of the Norenius Bun, a cross between short crust pastry and a cake, filled with cinnamon, dark brown sugar and pecans, and topped with honey caramel and more nuts. Perfect with a cup of cocoa or coffee on a lazy Sunday.

Preheat the oven to 200C and then prepare the ingredients for you filling first. 

75g soft butter

50g dark brown sugar

1t cinnamon

½ cup chopped pecan nuts

Mix the sugar and cinnamon. Take out the butter to soften and chop the nuts. Set aside.

Pastry

280g flour

60g butter

1T sugar

1T baking powder

1 egg

60ml milk

1t vanilla extract

Place the flour, butter, sugar and baking powder in a food processor and mix until it resembles crumbs. Mix the egg, milk and vanilla. Add to the ingredients and pulse until the mixture forms a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to form a 20x30cm rectangle. Neaten the edges by trimming the pastry into a smooth edge. Spread the butter over the rectangle with an offset spatula. Sprinkle over the cinnamon sugar and then the chopped pecan nuts. Roll up the pastry across the 30cm edge, to form a log and pinch the ends closed. Place in a curve on a greased baking tray. Bake at 200C for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then prepare the caramel.

½ cup honey

1T butter

2T pecan halves

Heat the honey on a medium low heat. Boil for 5 minutes, swirling to ensure it does not burn or catch. Once it is a rich amber colour, remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Pour over the bun and sprinkle over the pecan nuts. Slice and enjoy.