K’far Pistachio Sticky Buns Recipe

This unforgettable Pistachio Sticky Buns recipe is the most popular pastry sold at K’far, Zahav’s sister restaurant in Philadelphia and Brooklyn. K’far means “village” in Hebrew, and restaurateur Mike Solomonov’s “village” embraces both the town of K’far Saba in Israel, where Mike began to cook, as well as the Israeli restaurant village he built in Philly.

Trust us when we say each sticky bun is richer than a whole load of the toffee apple bread pudding we posted recently.

“We use an Asian method called tangzhong, which involves first cooking a portion of the flour and liquid together, creating a fluffier dough that stays fresher longer,” explains Katreena Kanney, the executive pastry chef at K’far, who developed this love-filled recipe that takes significant time and energy to recreate at home.

Find this and Mike Solomonov’s other acclaimed dishes in his book, Zahav Home, which we happen to think makes one of the best gifts under $30.

Be sure to check our collection of mouth-watering recipes for more ideas and inspiration.

Ingredients

For the Tangzhong

• 1 cup whole milk
• ⅓ cup bread flour

For the dough

• 1 cup whole milk, warmed to 100ºF
• 1 tbsp instant dry yeast
• 6 tbsp sugar
• 3 whole eggs
• 6 ¼ cups bread flour (reserve another half cup or so for your work surface)
• 2 tsp table salt
• 10 tbsp butter (at room temperature, cut into tablespoon-size pieces)

For the caramel

• ¾ cup butter (about a stick and a half)
• 1½ cups packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• 2 tsp high-quality vanilla extract

For the filling

• 1¾ cups whole unsalted shelled pistachios, plus ½ cup chopped for finishing
• ¼ cup table sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ whole zest of a whole lemon
• ½ stick high-quality butter cut into pieces

If you love this story and photos, join the Luxe Living by TheLuxurySpot.com Facebook group.

Instructions

For the Tangzhong

• Put the milk and flour into a small saucepan set over medium heat.
• Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens into a paste-like brownie batter. Remove from the heat and let cool.

For the dough

• Pour the warm milk into a medium bowl. With a fork, whisk the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar into the milk until nearly dissolved. Let sit for about 5 minutes; look for foam to form in the center of the mixture.
• Slowly pour the yeast mixture into the tangzhong (about a quarter at a time), using a whisk to blend. You’ll end up with a thin paste.
• Whisk in the eggs, one at a time.
• Set up a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Add the flour and the remaining 5 tablespoons of sugar to the bowl. Mix on the lowest setting and add the salt.
• Gradually pour the yeast and milk mixture on top of the flour and knead on low (speed 2 on a KitchenAid) for 5 minutes.
• Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.
• On medium speed, add the butter, one piece at a time. Incorporate each piece before adding more.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap for proofing.
• Now you have two options: Proof the dough either at room temperature in a non-drafty spot until doubled (about 2 hours), or overnight in the refrigerator.
• While the dough is proofing, make the caramel and filling.

For the caramel

• Before you make the caramel, oil and line a 13-by-9-inch rectangular pan with parchment paper. FYI: This is the pan in which you’ll bake the buns.
• In a small saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter. As the butter melts, add the brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla, whisking until smooth.
• Do not let the mixture boil! Keep whisking! Your goal is to not let the butter and brown sugar separate.
• Pour the caramel into the prepared pan, making sure it completely covers the parchment.

For the filling

• In a food processor, blitz the whole pistachios, both sugars, salt, and lemon zest.
• You’re making a thick paste with very finely ground pistachios, but leave some texture; this is not quite a nut butter.
• Gradually add the butter, mixing until it is no longer visible.
• Transfer the mixture to a bowl and keep at room temperature for easier spreading.

Rolling and assembly

• Lightly flour the work surface and roll the dough out into a rectangle approximately 12 inches wide by 18 inches long. The dough should be about ¼ inch thick.
• Spread the pistachio filling evenly on the dough from edge to edge.
• Roll the long edge of the dough closest to you into a log about 18 inches long.
•  Cut the dough into 12 even pieces, each about 1½ inches wide.
• Carefully transfer the cut dough to the caramel-lined pan. Cover with a towel and let it proof until the buns have doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake until the buns are puffy and golden on top, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Let the buns rest 3 to 5 minutes to allow the caramel to cool and thicken.
• Carefully invert the pan onto a cutting board or serving dish. Top with the chopped pistachios and separate into buns.

Gear you’ll need

• Several mixing bowls
• A sauce pan
• A stand mixer (Katreena suggests this KitchenAid stand mixer model)
• A 13-by-9 rectangular pan

If you love this story and photos, join the Luxe Living by TheLuxurySpot.com Facebook group.