Coconutty Orange-Apricot Sticky Buns

• Dough
• (1/4 ounce) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)↗1
• sugar↗1⁄4 teaspoon
• warm water1⁄4 cup
• large egg↗1
• unsweetened coconut milk↗1 cup
• butter, softened↗1⁄4 cup
• sugar↗1⁄3 cup
• salt↗1 teaspoon
• all-purpose flour↗4 1⁄4 cups
• Glaze↗
• butter, softened↗3⁄4 cup
• brown sugar, packed↗1⁄2 cup
• orange zest↗1 teaspoon
• freshly-squeezed orange juice↗1 teaspoon
• Filling
• cup chopped pecans3⁄4
• cup lightly toasted coconut3⁄4
• cup chopped dried apricot1⁄2
• teaspoon orange zest↗1
• cup white sugar↗1⁄2
• teaspoons cinnamon↗1 1⁄2
• tablespoons melted butter2

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Sprinkle yeast and sugar over warm water;let stand about 5 minutes until foamy.

2. 2

   Stir together proofed yeast mixture, egg, coconut milk, butter, sugar, salt, and 1-2 cups of the flour; gradually stir in remaining flour (a KitchenAid stand mixer or bread machine may be used) until a very soft and somewhat sticky dough comes together;add additional flour a tablespoon at a time if necessary to preclude excess stickiness, but be careful not to add too much.

3. 3

   Knead (a KitchenAid stand mixer or bread machine may be used) about 8 minutes until dough is smooth and still soft.

4. 4

   Place dough into oiled bowl; cover bowl and put in a warm place; allow dough to rise about 1 1/4 hours until doubled.

5. 5

   Meanwhile, cream together butter, brown sugar, orange zest, and orange juice to make the glaze; spread glaze evenly across the bottom of a 9x13" baking pan.

6. 6

   Combine pecans, coconut, apricots, orange zest, sugar, and cinnamon (save the melted butter for later) to make the filling; stir and toss to mix well.

7. 7

   Measure out 1 cup of the filling and sprinkle it evenly over the glaze already in the baking pan; set remainder aside.

8. 8

   Once dough has doubled; punch it down then turn out onto a lightly floured surface such as a large cutting board or clean countertop; roll or pat the dough into a 12x18" rectangle.

9. 9

   Brush dough rectangle with 2 tablespoons melted butter; sprinkle remaining filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1" margin along one of the long sides.

10. 10

    Roll the dough up jelly-roll-style,beginning with the long side without a margin, into a tight cylinder, ending at the long side with the margin; pinch along the long seam and at the ends to seal the roll shut.

11. 11

    Cut (see the NOTE below for a very easy cutting method) the roll into 12 even pieces, each about 1 1/2" wide; arrange the cut pieces, pretty-side down, on top of the glaze in the baking pan.

12. 12

    Cover the pan and allow the buns to rise about 45 minutes or until once-again doubled.

13. 13

    Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until the buns are golden-brown with sugar bubbling up between them; cool in baking pan 5 minutes, then invert onto a baking sheet; continue to cool a few minutes longer then pull apart the sticky buns; serve while still warm or cool completely.

14. 14

    NOTE: Using both hands, slide a two-foot length of plain dental floss under the dough roll; bring the ends of the floss up and across each other at the place you want to cut; pull the floss tight to make a very clean cut straight through the dough.