PECAN STICKY BUNS

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup (2 ounces) very warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
5 1/3 cups (24 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 cups (16 ounces) warm water (90 degrees F)
9 tablespoons (4 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (5 ounces) dark brown sugar, firmly packed
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (2 3/4 ounces) pecan pieces, toasted
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (2 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Equipment: One 9-inch square baking pan, preferably non-stick, buttered on sides only; one sheet pan, lined with aluminum foil
Place the yeast and warm water in a small bowl and stir with a fork to dissolve the yeast. Allow it to stand for about 3 minutes.
Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the warm water and the yeast mixture and stir with your fingers to moisten the flour, scraping the sides of the bowl and folding the dough over itself until it gathers into a shaggy mass.
Move the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it by hand for 5 minutes. This is a soft, moist dough. If the dough seems too stiff and hard to knead, add extra warm water 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a nice malleable dough. Gently shape the dough into a loose ball, cover it with plastic, and let it rest on the table for 20 minutes. (This rest period is the autolyse.)
Gently knead the dough on the lightly floured surface for 1 to 2 more minutes, or until it becomes smooth, supple, and elastic but not too firm. The texture of the dough should be soft but springy. Shape the dough into a loose ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and turn to coat the top with oil. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature (75 to 77 degrees F) until it has doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
While the dough is rising; in a small saucepan, heat the 9 tablespoons butter and the dark brown sugar over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the sugar is completely moistened (it won't be dissolved), then whisk until the mixture looks silky and a little lighter in color. Use 1 tablespoon softened butter to grease the sides of a 9-inch square pan, then pour in the caramel, tilting the pan slightly so the mixture spreads evenly over the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle the toasted pecans over the warm caramel and press them down slightly. Put the pan in the refrigerator to cool the caramel; be the pan's on a level surface. Put the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir until evenly mixed. Set aside.
When the dough has doubled, gently pour it out of the bowl onto the floured work surface. Flatten the dough and stretch it with your fingers to form a 13 by 10-inch rectangle, with a longside facing you.
Work gently so you don't tear the dough surface. The dough should stretch easily at this point, but if it resists, let it rest for 5 minutes and resume stretching. Check to be sure the dough isn't sticking to the work surface; flour the table again, if necessary.
Spread 3 tablespoons of the softened butter evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch strip unbuttered along the top edge. Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture generously and evenly over the butter, again leaving the top 1/2-inch of the rectangle bare. Starting with the bottom edge, roll up the dough jelly-roll fashion into a long log. If the dough sticks to the table as you're rolling, use a dough scraper to loosen it gently. Pinch gently but firmly along the seam to seal it. If necessary, gently shape the roll so it is a nice uniform log.
Take the caramel-lined pan out of the refrigerator. Cut the log of dough into 9 equal pieces. (It's easiest to mark the roll first to show where you're going to make the cuts--a slight indentation with the knife edge will do--then use a sharp serrated knife to cut completely through the dough.) Lay the pieces cut side down on top of the caramel. Don't worry if it's a tight fit. Let rise, uncovered, at room temperature until the dough has almost doubled, about 1 to 1 1/4 hours. The rolls should fill the pan and extend 1/2 to 3/4-inch above it. In the meantime, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Put the pan of sticky buns on a foil-lined baking sheet and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes longer, until the tops of the buns are golden brown and crusty. It's important to bake the buns long enough so the dough is cooked all the way through and the caramel topping develops properly. Set the pan of buns on a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Then quickly but carefully turn the pan upside-down and release the sticky buns onto a large flat heatproof plate. Immediately scrape out any hot caramel remaining in the bottom of the pan and spread it on the tops of the buns, filling in any bare spots. Let them cool until just warm before serving. (Clean the pan by soaking it in very hot water to dissolve the caramel.) Store any leftovers covered in plastic wrap at room temperature.
Yield: 9 large buns

CHOCOLATE ROLLS 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup (2 ounces) very warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
Scant 1/3 cup plus 1/4 teaspoon (2 ounces) granulated sugar
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons (14 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 cup (8 ounces) warm brewed coffee (90 degrees F)
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup (4 ounces) chocolate chips
1/2 cup (4 ounces) cold water
1 1/4 teaspoons cornstarch

Two 12 by 17-inch baking sheets, lined with parchment paper
Place the yeast and warm water in a large bowl. Stir with a fork to dissolve the yeast and allow it to stand for about 3 minutes.
Whisk the unbleached flour, cocoa powder, the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the salt together in a medium bowl. Set them aside. Using your hand, stir the coffee, the egg yolk, and the butter into the dissolved yeast. Gradually add the flour mixture, stirring until a shaggy mass forms and all of the flour is moistened.
Move the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 7 to 8 minutes, until it is silky smooth and elastic. This dough should be nice and moist, so add flour sparingly as you work. Shape the dough into a loose ball cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 10 minutes to relax the gluten strands.
Flatten the dough and stretch it gently with your fingers to form a rectangle about an inch thick. Spread the peanut butter chips evenly over the rectangle. Fold the dough into an envelope and knead gently for 2 to 3 minutes, until the chips are well distributed. The dough should be soft, smooth, and springy. If the dough resists, let it rest for 5 minutes and then continue kneading it. Some of the chips may pop out of the dough, but they can easily be incorporated again after the first rise when the dough has softened.
Shape the dough into a loose ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl.
Turn to coat the top of the dough with oil, and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature (75 to 77 degrees F) until the dough has doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
Line two 12 by 17-inch baking sheets with parchment paper. Gently pour the dough onto the floured work surface pressing any loose chocolate chips into dough. Flour your hands lightly divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (each weighing about 2 1/2 ounces). Shape the pieces into rolls and place 6 on each prepared baking sheet leaving several inches between the rolls so they won't grow together as they rise. Cover them loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let them rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
While the bread is proofing make a cornstarch wash: Put the cold water in a small saucepan and whisk in the cornstarch. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently until it thickens. Remove from the heat and cover to keep a skin from forming. Set aside to cool.
About 15 minutes before you're ready to bake, place one oven rack in the top third of the oven, and another in the bottom third, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
When the buns have doubled, use a pastry brush to paint them with a thin coating of the cornstarch wash. Brush gently so you don't deflate them.
Place one pan on each oven rack. Using a plant sprayer, immediately mist the top and sides of the oven 6 to 8 times and quickly close the oven door. Repeat this misting procedure two more times at 1-minute intervals.
Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F
and rotate the pans from top to bottom and front to back to ensure even baking. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until the tops of the buns feel firm but not hard when you press them slightly, and the bottoms are very lightly browned. These rolls should have a thin soft covering, not a hard crunchy crust. Remove from the oven and use the pastry brush to paint the top of each bun quickly and evenly with the cornstarch wash. Transfer the rolls to a rack and allow them to cool before serving. These are best eaten the day they are baked.
Yield: twelve 2 1/2-ounce buns