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1
Place water in small bowl.
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2
Sprinkle yeast and 1 tsp sugar over and stir to blend.
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3
Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 8 minutes.
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4
Combine oats, 1/3 cup sugar, butter, lemon peel and salt in large bowl.
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5
Heat milk in small saucepan until bubbles start to form around edge of pan.
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6
Pour hot milk over oat mixture and stir until butter melts and sugar dissolves.
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7
Cool mixture 10 minutes.
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8
Add egg, egg yolk, vanilla and dissolved yeast to oat mixture; stir to blend.
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9
Mix in 3 cups flour.
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10
Beat batter for 100 strokes with a wooden spoon (or, better yet, get your husband to do it!
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11
).
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12
Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let batter rest 10 minutes.
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13
Mix enough flour into batter, 1/4 cupful at a time, to form soft dough.
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14
Turn dough out onto floured surface.
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15
Knead gently until smooth and slightly sticky dough forms, adding more flour if very sticky, about 8 minutes.
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16
Lightly oil large bowl.
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17
Place dough in bowl and turn to coat with oil.
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18
Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then with towel.
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19
Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
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20
Make Maple Topping: Butter two 13x9x2 inch glass baking dishes.
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21
Combine maple syrup and butter in medium saucepan.
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22
Stir over medium heat until butter melts.
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23
Remove from heat.
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24
Mix in brown sugar.
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25
Pour half of topping into each prepared dish; tilt to coat bottom of dishes evenly.
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26
Sprinkle each with half of nuts; cool.
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27
Make Filling: Combine all ingredients in processor.
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28
Pulse until pecans are finely chopped.
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29
Assembly: Carefully turn doubled dough out onto floured surface (do not punch down dough).
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30
Roll dough gently to flatten slightly.
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31
Using hands, pull and stretch dough to 12x18 inch rectangle.
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32
Brush dough evenly with all of melted butter.
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33
Sprinkle filling evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2 inch plain border on one long side.
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34
Starting at long side opposite plain border, roll up dough jelly roll-fashion, forming log.
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35
Pinch seam to seal.
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36
Using large knife, score log into 12 equal pieces.
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37
Cut log at scores.
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38
Arrange 6 pieces, cut side up and evenly spaced, in each prepared baking dish.
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39
Lightly press down on buns with palms.
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40
(Can be prepared to this point and refrigerated overnight) Let buns rise in warm, draft-free area until light and puffy, about 50 minutes if buns are at room temperature, 1 hour 15 minutes if refrigerated.
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41
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375F Bake buns uncovered until tops are golden-brown and topping bubbles thickly, reversing baking dishes halfway through baking, about 25 minutes.
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42
Remove dishes from oven.
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43
Immediately place large baking sheet over 1 baking dish.
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44
With oven mitts, grasp dish and baking sheet together and turn over to release buns and topping onto sheet.
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45
Repeat with second baking dish and a second baking sheet.
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46
Cool buns 5 minutes.
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47
Eat hot!
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48
Buns can be frozen, but best eaten within 2 weeks of baking.
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49
Bake frozen buns, covered, at 375F until heated through, about 15 minutes.
