Sweet of the Week: Pumpkin Brioche Sticky Bun at A10

Sticky buns can be sticky business. By that I mean they can sometimes suck. There's a fine line between glazed, fluffy pastry and dense, gluey cavity-maker. There's a delicate art involved in sticky bun baking, one that entails crafting a dough that is at once airy and light, as well as rich and sturdy. It needs to hold up to the sugary accoutrements without being too overbearing and heavy. I typically tread with caution around sticky buns, but a recent pumpkin brioche sticky bun at newly minted A10 caught my eye and proved to be one of the best sticky buns I've ever had. Let alone the fact that I'm a pumpkin spice junkie this time of year, the bun itself is executed perfectly, raising the bar on sweet breakfast pastries.

(Pumpkin brioche sticky bun at A10)

I'm just gonna put this out there that I am still completely obsessed with Cinnabon. My cravings keep me up at night and the alluring aroma in mall food courts is too much to bear. But seeing as I fear Cinnabon will drastically shorten my lifespan, I stay away. Naturally, I'm always on the hunt for a wholesome replacement, something that matches Cinnabon in its decadence and bliss, minus the soul-sucking toxicity. A10's pumpkin brioche sticky bun may very well fill that void. Firstly, the pastry is appropriately massive, ample enough to feed a small family. The dough is rich and buttery, but not too cloying, and firm enough to maintain integrity whilst enrobed and baked in treacly, pumpkin-y glaze. It's mercifully not too sweet, so you don't feel too bad for your teeth when eating your way through it. There are also some surprising herb notes present (do I detect thyme?!), and it's all set atop a sweet-and-spicy dollop of pumpkin puree.