Pistachio, Lavender and Honey Sticky Buns

Please note that there is a total of 4 hours inactive time for the yeast.

First, make the dough. Pour the yeast into 1/2 cup of the warm water in a bowl and give it a stir. Feed it with a pinch of sugar and let it foam up for 5 minutes. While the yeast foams up, set up a stand mixer and combine the soft butter and cup of sugar in its bowl. Beat them together thoroughly until fluffy and smooth. Add the cinnamon and salt next, followed by each egg one at a time. Push down the sides to make sure it is all combined. Then pour in the yeast mixture and the extra cup of warm water. Turn the speed to low and gradually add in the flour until it is just mixed into a soft dough. Bring the dough together with your clean hands in the bowl and give it 2-3 turns of kneading to just make sure it is uniform. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it sit in a warm, dry area to rise for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

While the dough rises, prepare the glaze. Stir the butter, brown sugar, honey, corn syrup, water and lavender together in a bowl. The butter will separate and that is ok. It will bake to perfection. Grease 2 deep 9 1/2 inch pie pans with soft butter or shortening, then evenly distribute the glaze in the bottoms of both pans. Sprinkle 1/2 a cup of the chopped pistachios in an even layer on top of the glaze in each pan. Set the pans aside. Stir the cinnamon, sugar and ground lavender together in another bowl for the filling and set that aside too.

When the dough is done rising, lightly punch it down and turn it out onto a well floured and clean surface. Cut it in half. Take the first half and roll it into a rectangle that is about 10 inches long. Brush it with half of the melted butter and spread 1/2 of the cinnamon, sugar and lavender filling evenly all over it. Roll the long side up tightly to have a long log. Cut the log into 12 equal pieces. Place the 12 pieces into one of the prepared pie dishes and lightly press them into the glaze. Repeat the process with the other half of dough to fill the other pan. Set the pans aside to rise again for an hour.

When the hour is almost up, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake the rolls for 30–35 minutes, until they are puffy and golden. Let them cool for about 10 minutes. Then invert a flat, large platter on each pan and turn them both out to have them ready to serve immediately! They can be pulled apart almost like monkey bread to enjoy warm and fresh. Any leftovers can be kept for a day in a sealed container!