[ Caramel Apple Sticky Buns ]

Total yumminess!!! I found this recipe from The Pioneer Woman (find her blog link in the sidebar). Her pictures always look so good and completely edible, right off the screen! It just makes me drool. So, I decided to try this one out and take a few of my own pictures. And guess what?! It totally looked like it, and definitely tasted YUMMY! I used a different dough recipe for my rolls and ended up with double what I expected. Which in the end was terrific because they were so great we ate one whole pan last night! I made these as a treat for the kids' first day back to school and we ate sticky buns while we talked about everything from their day and filled out all those nasty back-to-school forms. We have one more pan to go....now, where can I hide them? lol :)

Cinnamon Roll Dough:
1 Cup warm water
2 Tbsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1 Cup hot water
3 egs, beaten
1/2 Cup butter flour
3/4 Cup sugar

Mix the first 3 ingredients and set aside. Dissolve the next 4 ingredients and then add eggs. Add enough flour to make a soft batter, then add yeast mixture and beat well. Add more flour so that you can stir it with a spoon. Let rise, work down, and let rise again. Roll out on floured counter top. Add your butter, sugar, cinnamon, roll 'em up and slice 'em!

Yep... yeast and dough look really eewwy! ;(

Okay... now for the good part!!!

Homemade Caramel:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1 1/2 Cup firmly packed brown sugar
1-2 Tbsp dark corn syrup
2 Tbsp heavy cream

In a heavy skillet melt butter on low heat. Don't get in a big hurry, we'll indulge soon enough! :) While your butter is melting add brown sugar. You don't need to stir right away, just let it melt down. It's starting to smell gooey and yummy!

Then add in corn syrup and cream. Stir it all together, still keeping your heat low. When it starts to bubble and simmer you've got your caramel! Poor half the mixture in a round greased pan (a 9-10 inch cake pan works great). You've got enough for too pans or if you really like TONS of caramel poor it all in one pan. :)

Take one green apple, peel and dice into tiny chunks. Scatter your apple in the bottom of the pan on your caramel mixture. Place your cut up chunks of cinnamon roll in the pan and let them rise for about 20 minutes.

Now it's time to bake your goodies! Keep them loosely covered with foil in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, uncover and cook for about another 10 minutes or until rolls are done. When you take them from the oven find a serving tray (even a large dinner plate works fine), cover your pan of rolls and quickly flip! Use a butter knife if necessary to raise the pan and voila! You've got warm, yummy, gooey sticky buns! Which unfortunately if you eat enough of these, will be how you describe your own buns! lol :) Enjoy!