Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 3 hr
The walnuts in this recipe aren't crucial to its success — some of us like these buns with nuts, others prefer them without. So the choice is yours.
• Buns can be formed (but not allowed to rise and not baked) 1 day ahead and chilled, wrapped well in plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature about 1 1/2 hours, loosely covered with plastic wrap, before baking.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 12 pastries
Ingredients
For dough
For filling
For glaze
Special Equipment
Preparation
Make dough:
Step 1
Stir together warm water, yeast, and a pinch of the sugar in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over.)
Step 2
Put 5 cups flour, salt, and remaining sugar in bowl of electric mixer and mix with dough hook at low speed until combined. Whisk together milk and eggs in a small bowl, then add to dry ingredients along with yeast, beating at low speed until flour is incorporated. Beat at medium speed until a very soft dough forms, about 2 minutes. Add butter and continue beating at medium speed until dough is smooth, soft, and elastic, about 4 minutes (it will be quite sticky).
Step 3
Rinse a large bowl with hot water. Add dough to wet bowl and cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Prepare filling:
Step 4
Bring water and 1 cup granulated sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add cranberries and simmer just until they begin to burst, about 2 minutes. Pour through a large sieve into a bowl and cool berries, reserving syrup for another use (such as a flavoring for seltzer).
Form and bake buns:
Step 5
Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface and dust with flour, then roll out into a 16-inch square.
Step 6
Brush off excess flour, then spread evenly with butter with a small metal offset spatula.
Step 7
Stir together brown sugar, cinnamon, and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar and sprinkle evenly over dough. Dot dough evenly with drained cranberries, then sprinkle with nuts if using.
Step 8
Beginning with side nearest you, roll up dough, firmly but not tightly, into a log, then pinch seam to seal. Trim 1 inch off each end with a large knife and discard, then cut log crosswise into 12 slices.
Step 9
Arrange slices, cut sides up, in buttered cake pans (place 1 slice in center of each pan, then evenly space 5 more around it). Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Step 10
Preheat oven to 350°F while buns are rising.
Step 11
Bake buns in lower third of oven until puffed and golden, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes.
Make glaze:
Step 12
Stir together confectioners sugar and milk with a fork until smooth. Drizzle over buns while still hot.
Step 13
Serve buns warm or at room temperature.
