Pistachio Apricot Sticky Buns

Chef/partner Caroline Schiff (of Gage and Tollner restaurant in Brooklyn) has never met a person who doesn’t love a sticky bun, and this riff on the classic is no exception. Apricot jam and pistachios mingle with an ooey-gooey brown sugar topping for the ultimate treat. Make these for brunch, invite a crowd of friends over, and they’ll be the star of the show. Note that this recipe makes two 9-inch pans of buns, but you can divide the recipe in half for a one pan batch.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

1 stick, plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 cups dark brown sugar, not packed

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup raw chopped pistachios, divided

1 batch basic brioche recipe

All purpose flour, as needed

13 ounces apricot jam

Flakey sea salt

Evenly grease two 9-inch skillets with 1 tablespoon of the softened butter each, coating the sides and bottom.

Place the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir until fully combined. Divide sugar mixture evenly between the two pans and in an even layer. Top the sugar mixture with 1/2 cup of the chopped pistachios in an even layer. Set the pans aside.

Remove the brioche from the fridge and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 16 x 20-inch rectangle. With a spatula, spread the apricot jam all over the surface of the dough in an even layer, going all the way to the edges. Roll the dough into a log, starting with the long edge. With a sharp knife slice the log into 1 1/2-inch thick rounds to make 14 buns. Place half of the buns in each pan (7 each), spacing them evenly apart. Cover loosely with plastic and set the pans in a warm spot to proof and double in size, about 1 hour.

While the buns proof, heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle. When the buns have doubled in size, transfer to the preheated oven and bake until deep golden brown, about 45-55 minutes.

Remove pans from the oven and carefully invert the buns onto serving platters while still hot. If any of the caramel remains in the pan, use a spatula to scrape it out and drizzle over the buns. Sprinkle tops with a little flakey sea salt and allow buns to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.