Yield:18 to 20 buns

This recipe fills two 8x8x2 inch (20x20x5 cm) buttered baking pans.

Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7. Buns can be baked ahead, cooled and frozen, then rewarmed to serve.

The Dough
4 rounded cups (1 Litre) of unsifted all-purpose flour
8 teaspoons (40 mL) baking powder
1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
2 cups (500 mL) shortening or soft margarine
2 cups (500 mL) skim milk
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Soft margarine or softened butter
Brown sugar
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The Syrup
2 cups (500 mL) water
1 cup (250 mL) maple syrup
3 cups (750 mL) brown sugar

Measure flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and gradually cut in shortening and/or margarine. Add skim milk while stirring with a fork to make a round ball of dough. Turn dough out to a floured surface and knead gently until a soft ball of dough is formed. Using just a sprinkle of flour, roll dough to a large rectangle, about one-inch thick. Spread lightly with the soft margarine or softened butter, sprinkle with brown sugar, and roll dough into a log. Cut into one-inch slices.

Prepare syrup in a deep-rimmed pot by bringing water, maple syrup and brown sugar to a boil. Drop the cut buns into the boiling syrup, a few at a time and boil on each side for about one minute before turning over to cook other side of one minute. Flip the syrup-coated buns into the prepared pans.

Set pans on middle rack of oven and bake 20-25 minutes. Turn out on a rimmed plate to catch the syrup and serve while warm. If you plan to freeze and re-heat the sticky buns, cool in baking pan, then wrap for freezer. Warm buns before serving.

Printed with permission from Tom Culligan, author of "Teacups & Sticky Buns: Mom's Story"