Crescent Caramel Sticky Rolls

Crescent Caramel Sticky Rolls

I'm not quite sure what to call these things.  The original recipe is titled "Crescent Caramel Swirl," and it comes from a Pillsbury Bake-Off cookbook.  The photocopy I have reads, "The judges at the 27th contest awarded Lois Ann Groves of San Antonio, Texas, $25,000 for her creative version of a pastry-shop caramel roll, Crescent Caramel Swirl."  It must have been a while ago, because this year, they're up to Bake-Off Contest #45, and now they only run it every other year.  At any rate, I can see why Lois won.  I'd rather have these sticky rolls over my cinnamon rolls any day.  Seriously.  There's no cinnamon, just warm brown sugary buttery flaky dough yumminess in these things.  I can't even describe how delicious these are.  You must try them yourself.
I'm giving you the original recipe as it appears on the photocopy I have, and at the end I describe my modifications*, which I warn you, involve a mini Bundt pan, which I'm sure only a few people actually own.

Crescent Caramel Sticky Rolls
   --adapted from the Pillsbury Bake-Off Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter (not margarine)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (make sure they're fresh)
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 (8-oz.) cans Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls

Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Melt butter in a small saucepan.  Coat bottom and sides of a 12-cup Bundt pan with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter; sprinkle pan with 3 tablespoons of the nuts.  Add remaining nuts, brown sugar, and water to remaining melted butter.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Remove dough from cans; do not unroll.  Cut each long roll into 8 slices.  Arrange 8 slices, cut side down, in nut-lined pan; separate layers of each pinwheel slightly.  Spoon half of brown sugar mixture over dough.  Place remaining 8 dough slices alternately over bottom layer.  Spoon remaining brown sugar mixture over slices.
3. Bake at 350°F for 23 to 33 minutes or until deep golden brown.  Cool 3 minutes in pan.  Invert onto serving platter or waxed paper.  Serve warm.
Makes 12 servings

*Modifications:
--Sometimes I will buy a can of Grands Flaky Biscuits instead of two cans of crescent rolls.  Depends on my mood and which is cheaper.
--I use a mini Bundt pan, which has 6 small Bundt forms.  I spray its non-stick surface with Pam.
--I do some math and if I'm using crescent rolls, I quarter the 16 slices of crescent dough, and divide them into 6 equal piles.  If I'm using Grands Flaky Biscuits, I cut each of the 8 biscuits into 9ths and again, divide into six equal piles.
--I follow the recipe as far as the butter and nuts in the pan first and layer half the dough at a time along with the brown sugar mixture.
--I bake them for 23-27 minutes.

**I tried making these with plain Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits, and they turned out great too.  I just used 2 (7.5 oz.) tubes.

Made with buttermilk biscuits in a full-size Bundt pan.

The perfect Saturday morning breakfast.