Raspberry Ricotta Sticky Buns
 
 
Makes 12 buns
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons milk
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup sugar, divided
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1¼ teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Filling:
  • 2 ounces fresh or frozen raspberries
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup ricotta, drained (see notes)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
Syrup:
  • 6 fresh or frozen raspberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
Make the dough:
  1. In a large bowl, heat milk and water until warm - about 30 seconds in the microwave should do. Add the yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar. Whisk together until thoroughly combined and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the remaining sugar and the rest of the dough ingredients (butter through lemon zest) to the milk mixture, stirring everything until it comes together to form a shaggy ball. Then knead the dough by hand (or with a dough hook attachment) until it’s smooth and elastic - this will take about 10 minutes (or less if using a stand mixer). Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising, prepare the filling.
Make the filling:
  1. In a small sauce pan, combine the raspberries, sugar, butter and cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta and honey and mix until smooth. Set aside.
Shape and bake the buns:
  1. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan and set aside.
  2. After the dough has risen, roll it into an 18”x10” rectangle. Using a pizza cutter or bench scraper, cut the dough into 12 1½”strips.
  3. Place 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture at the end of each strip. Then place 1 tablespoon of the raspberry mixture right below it and spread it down the remainder of the strip.
  4. Starting at the end with the ricotta, gently roll up the dough at a slight angle so that the center is the highest point of the bun. When you reach the end of the strip, gently press it into place.
  5. Place buns, point side up, in the muffin pan. Lightly cover buns with a piece of plastic wrap coated with cooking spray. Let buns rise until slightly puffed, about 1 hour.
  6. When buns have almost finished rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  7. Remove plastic wrap and bake buns until golden, about 22-30 minutes. While the buns are baking, prepare the syrup.
Make the syrup:
  1. In a small sauce pan, combine the raspberries, sugar, water, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and set aside.
  2. Once buns have finished baking, remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then remove the buns from the muffin cups and place in a 12”x9” casserole pan.
  3. Pour syrup over the buns and let them sit in the syrup for 2 hours, basting occasionally.
  4. Remove the buns from the casserole pan and serve.
Notes
To drain ricotta, place cheese in a cheesecloth-lined colander set over a bowl. If you don’t have cheesecloth, you can use a coffee filter. Place in refrigerator and let sit for a few hours.
Recipe by Two of a Kind at http://www.twoofakindcooks.com/raspberry-ricotta-sticky-buns/