Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups milk, heated
2 tsp. active dry yeast
½ cup sugar, granulated and divided
½ stick butter, melted
3 large egg yolks
1 tsp. salt
5-6 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups brown sugar
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1½ qts. canned epars drained and diced
2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped
2 cups cranberries, dried
3/4 cup dried bread crumbs
¼ cup pear juice
1 qt. confectioners sugar, sifted
Procedure:
- Combine milk, yeast and 1 tbsp. sugar in a large bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Stir yeast mixture. Add remaining sugar, butter, egg yolks, and salt and mix well. Stir in 2 cups flour and mix well.
- Slowly stir in remaining flour, mixing well between additions. When dough is stiff enough, transfer to a warm surface and knead. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise 45-60 minutes. Punch dough down and divide in half.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 10 x 20-inch rectangle.
- In a bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon, and mix well.
- In another bowl, mix together pears, pecans, dried cranberries and crumbs.
- For each Pastry Rectangle: Sprinkle the surface on each sheet of pastry with 1-1/2 cups cinnamon-sugar. Top pastry with 5 cups pear mixture.
- Starting along the back, roll the long side of the dough gently to enclose pear mixture. Seal the log tightly by pinching the seam together. Cut each log into approximately 12 x 2-inch buns. Repeat process for the other log.
- Place the buns, cut side up, on a well-sprayed parchment-lined half sheetpan and let rise 20 minutes. Bake buns in pre-heated 375°F conventional or 350°F convection oven for 25–30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes before turning over and cooling.
- In a bowl, combine sifted sugar with pear juice and mix well to form a glaze, adding more liquid as needed. Drizzle glaze over warm buns and serve.
Recipe courtesy of Pacific Northwest Canned Pear Service