I’VE NEVER MET A PERSON who couldn’t be lured out of bed by the aroma of buttery sweet rolls baking in the oven. These are crowned with crispy toasted walnuts, and the sweetness comes from maple sugar, another famous New England specialty.
MAKES 12 ROLLS
DOUGH
2 ¼ teaspoons/7 g active dry yeast
1 cup/237 ml honey, divided
1 cup/237 ml whole milk, heated to 110° to 115°F/43° to 46°C
½ cup/79 g brown rice flour, plus more if needed
½ cup/62.5 g tapioca flour
2 cups/256 g cornstarch
1 tablespoon/9 g xanthan gum
½ teaspoon/3 g fine salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
8 tablespoons (1 stick)/110 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon/5 ml pure vanilla extract
GLAZE AND FILLING
2 cups/234 g chopped walnuts, divided
6 tablespoons (¾ stick)/85 g unsalted butter, melted, divided
1¼ cups/300 ml maple sugar, divided
¼ cup/59 ml light corn syrup
2 tablespoons/30 ml heavy whipping cream
¼ teaspoon/½ g freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon/0.5 g ground ginger
Combine the yeast, 2 tablespoons/30 ml of the honey, and ¼ cup/59 ml of the warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix well. Set aside for about 10 minutes while the yeast proofs. Combine the ½ cup/79 g of rice flour and the tapioca flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum, and salt in a deep mixing bowl and whisk well.
When the yeast looks frothy add the remaining ¾ cup/178 ml of warm milk, the remaining ⅞ cup/207 ml of honey, and the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and beat at medium speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat the dough for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the dough has the consistency of a drop biscuit dough. Add additional rice flour by 1-tablespoon/15 ml/10 g amounts, if necessary.
Lightly grease the inside of a large mixing bowl with vegetable oil or softened butter. Scrape the dough out of the mixer bowl and into the greased bowl, smoothing the top with moistened fingers or a rubber spatula dipped in water. Cover the bowl loosely with a sheet of oiled plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and place it in a warm spot. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in bulk.
While the dough rises, make the glaze and filling. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Toast the walnuts on a baking sheet for 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned.
Combine 5 tablespoons/71 g of the melted butter, 1 cup/201 g of the maple sugar, the corn syrup, and cream in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Grease a 13 × 9-inch/33 × 23 cm baking pan with vegetable oil spray. Pour in the glaze and sprinkle the toasted nuts on top of it.
For the filling, combine the remaining tablespoon/14 g of melted butter, the remaining maple sugar, the nutmeg, and ginger in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
Grease your hands with vegetable oil spray. Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal portions. Place some of the filling in the center of each piece of dough and arrange the buns in the prepared pan.
Cover the pans lightly with a sheet of oiled plastic wrap or a tea towel and allow them to rise for 1 hour, or until very puffy.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C toward the end of the rising time.
Bake the rolls for 30 to 35 minutes, or until brown. Remove the pan from the oven, allow the buns to cool for 10 minutes, then invert the buns onto a platter. Scrape any glaze remaining in the pan on top of the buns, and serve warm.
NOTE:
While best right out of the oven, the buns can be baked up to 2 days in advance and kept at room temperature, tightly covered. Reheat them, covered with foil, in a 300°F/150°C oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
VARIATIONS:
• Substitute firmly packed light brown sugar for the maple sugar, and substitute pecans for the walnuts. Add 2 teaspoons/5 g of ground cinnamon to the filling.
• Add 1 cup/145 g of raisins to the filling.
Honey, a miraculous substance generated by bees and flowers, has more sweetness than refined sugar, and it is also loaded with nutrients instead of the empty calories of granulated sugar. Honey has been used over the centuries to salve wounds, and studies have shown that it can lower cholesterol. The subtle flavor nuances of honey change depending on the particular flower the bees were working on, and, in general, raw honey is a better choice than processed honey because it contains far more nutrients.