Surprise Caramel Buns

The surprise is “nothing” in the middle where a marshmallow was before baking.

surprise caramel buns

1/2 recipe sweet roll dough

1/3 cup butter, melted

sugar/cinnamon mixture

24 large marshmallows

-Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut 3" circles from dough. Place a marshmallow in the center of each circle and wrap around marshmallow and pinch firmly to seal. Dip buns in melted butter then in sugar-cinnamon mixture of 3/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup cinnamon and place seam-side down in well- buttered muffin cups. Let rise 20 minutes. Bake in 350 degree oven until golden.

-Immediately remove buns from tins with a knife, easing gently out of cup where mixture may be stuck. Set on cooling rack and allow to cool.

-Place on serving tray and drizzle with thick caramel sauce.

POTATO REFRIGERATOR ROLLS

1 package active dry yeast (1 tablespoon)

1 1/2 cups warm water

2/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2/3 cups vegetable shortening

2 eggs

1 cup lukewarm instant mashed potatoes

7 - 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

-Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup lukewarm water until frothy, about 5 minutes. Add remaining water, sugar, salt, shortening, eggs, potatoes and 4 cups of the flour. Beat with mixer until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle and knead with a dough hook until smooth and satiny (5 minutes). Or if kneading by hand, turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes, adding sprinkles of flour to keep from sticking to hands as needed.

-Place in greased bowl and turn greased side up. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap or kitchen towel. Let sit on counter for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in size and a hole poked in the middle of the dough with finger, remains. Or you can refrigerate dough at least 8 hours until ready to use. (Dough can be kept up to 5 days in the fridge. Keep covered.)

-Punch down dough. Shape as desired. Let rise 30 minutes before baking, unless directed otherwise. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 15 to 25 minutes until rolls are golden brown.

Drizzle caramel over baked, cooled buns and let sit for at least 30 minutes to allow caramel to set.

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**Any sweet dough recipe works well with these or you can use purchased frozen roll dough and allow it to thaw before forming surprise buns.

**I use a caramel sauce I make myself, cooked to the soft ball stage so the surface of the buns is not too sticky. (You can find that recipe here on my blog under "Ruthie's Caramel Corn") You can use thick ice-cream topping caramel but drizzle it sparingly. Caramel will dry some as the buns sit.