Ingredients
Scale
- 3/4 cup warm whole milk, about 110 degrees F
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for the dough
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, for the dough
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar, for the coating
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, for dipping
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, for the caramel
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1 pinch of fine salt, for the caramel
- 1 1/4 cups pecan halves, toasted and roughly chopped
Instructions
- Make the dough on Christmas Eve. Whisk the warm milk, yeast and a pinch of the dough sugar in a large bowl and rest 5 minutes until foamy. Whisk in the eggs and melted butter, then stir in the flour, the rest of the dough sugar and the salt to a shaggy dough.
- Knead for 7 to 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rise at room temperature for 1 hour, until roughly doubled.
- Stir the coating sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a shallow bowl. Set the dipping butter in a second bowl. Divide the dough into about 40 small pieces and roll each into a ball of about 1 1/4 inches. Dip each ball in butter, roll in the cinnamon sugar, and set on a tray.
- Make the caramel. Melt the caramel butter in a small saucepan, add the brown sugar and cream, and boil gently for 2 minutes, stirring, until glossy. Off the heat, stir in the vanilla, orange zest and the pinch of salt.
- Grease a 10 cup bundt pan very well. Scatter half the pecans in the pan and pour in half the caramel. Add half the dough balls in an even layer. Scatter the remaining pecans, pour in the remaining caramel, and finish with the rest of the dough balls.
- Cover the pan tightly and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. The balls will puff slowly and fill the pan by morning.
- On Christmas morning, place the cold pan in a cold oven if your mornings are rushed, or let it stand 20 minutes while the oven heats to 350 degrees F. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until deeply golden and the center reads 190 degrees F; tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes if the top colors fast.
- This step matters: rest the pan for exactly 10 minutes. Set a warm serving plate over the pan and invert in one confident motion. Lift the pan away and spoon any caramel left inside over the top. Serve warm and pull apart.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes, plus an overnight rise
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 525
- Sugar: 38
- Sodium: 160
- Fat: 27
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 66
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 80