Sticky

I need help. I want someone to talk me out of trying this recipe, which I just found here, on the Harvard Magazine website. If I make it, the results will be either mediocre or good. If they're mediocre, I'll be ticked for having made all that effort without success. If they're good, I'll eat too much of them.

Note: I rearranged the recipe to be in order of preparation. Seemed silly the original way.

Sticky Bun Recipe

* 2 cups brown sugar
* 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
* brioche dough (recipe follows)
* Goo (recipe follows)

Yield: 6 large buns
Prep time: dough (30 minutes), Goo (20 minutes), bun making (20 minutes)*
Inactive prep time: about 9 hours
Cook time: about 45 minutes

A.Brioche Dough:

* 2 1/2 cups high-gluten flour
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 oz. yeast
* 1 tbsp. salt
* 1/2 cup ice water
* 5 eggs
* 11 oz. butter, softened

In a large bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the ingredients, except the butter, and beat on low with dough hook for 10 minutes.
Add the softened butter and knead for another 20 minutes until dough slaps on the side of a bowl.
Place in a container and cover well.
Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
Shape, cover, and let rise for several hours on a warm radiator or on top of an oven at 200 degrees.

B. Goo:
* 1/2 lb. butter
* 15 oz. brown sugar
* 5 oz. honey
* 1/2 cup cream
* 1/2 cup water

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt together the butter and brown sugar.
Remove from heat, let cool, and whisk in the honey, cream, and water.
Set aside.


C.
On a floured work surface, roll out the brioche dough into a rectangle that is approximately 1/4 inch thick.
Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and toasted/chopped pecans and sprinkle evenly on the brioche.
Roll up the brioche jelly roll-style and slice the roll into buns about 1 inch thick.
Spread the Goo on the bottom of a roasting pan and place buns, evenly spaced, in the pan.
Cover and allow to rise for 2 to 3 hours in a warm place.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place buns in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes (check after 30).
Let cool for 10 minutes and then invert onto a serving platter.
Serve with café au lait.

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UPDATE: I noticed that their video shows one half cup plus two tablespoons sugar being added to the brioche dough before it's chilled. The recipe and instructions make no mention of it. I'm doing it that way, and I dropped a note to the magazine to ask them whats up. Also, the dough after mixing was very loose -- almost a thick liquid. I added a half cup of each kind of flour, and that firmed it to the point that I could handle it without having it drip through my fingers. Still very soft, though.