Sticky Buns

Dough Preparation:

1. Warm Milk and Butter: In a small pan over low heat, combine milk and butter. Warm the mixture to around 110°F, being cautious not to overheat.
2. Prepare Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together eggs and sugar until thoroughly combined.
3. Combine Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the warmed milk-butter mixture to the bowl and whisk until fully combined.
4. Begin Dough: Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer. On top of the wet mixture, add 4 1/2 cups of bread flour, instant yeast, and salt (keep yeast separate from salt).
5. Mix and Knead: Start mixing on low speed using the dough hook until the dough forms. Knead for about 5 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
6. Rest and Knead Again: Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes to strengthen the gluten. Resume kneading for another 5 minutes. If the dough is overly wet, gradually add some of the remaining 1/4 cup of flour until it becomes slightly sticky but pulls away from the bowl's sides. It's okay if it's a bit sticky at the bottom.

First Dough Rise:

1. Let it Rise: Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in a warm spot to rise. Typically, it takes 45 - 60 minutes for the dough to double in size. Keep an eye on it due to variations in kitchen temperature.

Topping Preparation:

1. Prepare Topping: While the dough rises, in a small pot over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Cook until the mixture starts bubbling. Remove from heat and stir in heavy whipping cream. Pour this mixture into a greased 9x13 baking pan and sprinkle pecans evenly over it.

Dough Assembly and Second Rise:

1. Prepare Dough for Filling: Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and transfer it to a floured surface. Roll it out into an 18-inch rectangle.
2. Fill the Dough: Spread softened butter over the entire surface of the dough. In a separate small bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Evenly spread this mixture over the buttered dough.
3. Shape the Rolls: Roll up the dough tightly and cut it into 12 equal-sized pieces. Place these pieces in the prepared baking pan on top of the pecan and filling mixture.
4. Second Rise: Cover the pan with a towel or plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise again until nearly double in size, approximately 20 - 45 minutes, depending on the room's warmth.

Baking and Serving:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F while the dough rises.
2. Bake the Rolls: Place the rolls in the oven and bake for 24 - 30 minutes. Check at the 15-minute mark and cover with foil if they're browning too quickly. The rolls are ready when their internal temperature reaches 190°F.
3. Cool and Serve: Once baked, remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes.
4. Flip and Serve: Carefully flip the rolls onto a platter or larger baking sheet, allowing the sticky side to face up. To ease cleanup, consider lining the serving surface with parchment paper.