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BAKED GOODS

Plantain Sticky Buns From Paola Velez

Like many kids with roots in the Caribbean, I grew up eating plantains all the time. They are central to who I am as an eater and a cook. So are Little Debbie’s Honey Buns, which I discovered one day at the bodega after school when I was trying to make the best of the two bucks my mom gave me every morning for snacks. I figured I’d give them a shot—and my life has never been the same since I first sampled that sticky, slightly sweet, all-around awesome creation. Fast-forward to a few years ago when my mom and I were watching Guy Fieri on “Triple D,” as we called it. Guy—I think we’re on a first-name basis now—highlighted a spot that is famous for its Philadelphia-style sticky buns, covered in pecans. Mom urged me to make my own.

I came up with the idea of crossing a honey bun with the Philly version to create a pastry that is delicate yet completely indulgent. I realized that, when you swap in plantains that have been cooked down with a little brown sugar and a bunch of spices for the traditional filling, you get something far gooier and extraordinary.

The key is getting your hands on very overripe plantains; that particular sweetness is impossible to replicate. And don’t worry if the caramel doesn’t look smooth when you first pour it into the pan; the heat will magically transform it into a smooth, silky texture as it bakes.

Photo by Lauren V. Allen

INGREDIENTS

Makes 9 buns
 
PLANTAIN FILLING
1 (11-ounce/ 310 grams) soft, ripe black plantain (see Note), cut into ½-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
 
½ cup packed (120 grams) light brown sugar
 
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 
½ teaspoon ground ginger
 
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
 
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
 
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
 
DOUGH
1 cup (240 milliliters) whole milk, warmed to 96°F
 
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
 
1 (¼-ounce/7 grams) envelope active dry yeast
 
3⅓ cups (465 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
 
2 teaspoons kosher salt
 
2 large eggs
 
6 tablespoons (¾ stick/85 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened
 
PAN CARAMEL
½ cup (1 stick/115 grams) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
 
½ cup packed (120 grams) light brown sugar
 
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
 
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
 
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
 
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
 
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
 
¾ cup (65 grams) chopped pecans

 

 
 

METHOD

MAKE THE FILLING: In a small saucepan, combine the plantain, brown sugar, ½ cup (120 milliliters) water, the cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the plantain softens, the liquid starts to thicken, and the whole mixture becomes very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside until ready to use.

MAKE THE DOUGH: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir together the milk, granulated sugar, and yeast on low speed. Turn off the mixer and let stand until frothy, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the flour, then the salt (this step is super important— always add the flour first so the salt does not harm the yeast you just woke up), and mix on medium-low speed until the flour is mostly incorporated, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs and mix until the dough forms a ball, about 1 minute. Add the butter in a few additions (I usually do a quarter of it at a time), mixing until the butter is fully incorporated before adding the next addition. Then mix until the dough is smooth and no longer clings to the sides of the bowl, and no butter is visible, about 5 minutes.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm, draft-free place until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE CARAMEL: Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with butter.

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted, about 2 minutes (the sugar should not be fully dissolved at this point). Remove from the heat and stir, then pour the caramel into the prepared baking pan, spread it to coat the bottom evenly, and set aside.

Punch down the dough, then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a floured rolling pin, roll it out to a 10-inch square. Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the filling over the dough all the way to the edges and sprinkle evenly with the pecans. Roll the dough up to form a log, then cut it crosswise into 9 even slices.

Arrange the slices cut-side up in the prepared baking pan (it’s okay if they touch). Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let stand in a warm spot until the buns double in size, about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Set the pan with the buns on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the buns are light brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the buns reads 165°F. Alternatively, test the buns by poking one with a toothpick (try to get the dough rather than the filling). If it comes out, well, doughy, keep baking. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully invert the buns onto a platter. Serve warm.

NOTE: I really recommend using frozen plantains because you can be confident that they’re perfectly ripe and will break down nicely, creating a smooth filling that won’t rip your dough. You can add the frozen plantain straight to the saucepan without defrosting it.

If you do use fresh plantains, you must first allow them to become overly ripe. The flesh of the plantain should be very sweet and broken down before you make this mixture, as this will ensure that the filling will not taste too starchy.

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