Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar and yeast to the warm milk let stand 5 minutes, or until the mixture is slightly foamy.

After the mixture looks active, pour the milk and yeast into a large bowl. Add the remaining sugar, butter, egg yolks and salt, and stir well to fully combine the ingredients. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix well. Slowly add the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, stirring between additions; you may not need all 6 cups. When dough is stiff, and not too sticky, transfer it to a warm surface and knead in any remaining flour, if needed.

Place the dough in an lightly-oiled bowl, cover and let rise between 45 and 60 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. Punch the dough down and divide it in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough pieces out into two 10 by 20-inch rectangles.

Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. In another bowl, stir together the pears, pecans, cranberries and bread crumbs. Sprinkle the surface of both rectangles with 1-1/2 cups cinnamon sugar, followed by 5 cups of pear filling mixture.

Starting at the back, roll the long side of the dough toward you, applying gentle pressure to enclose the filling. At the end, tightly seal the log by by pinching the dough together to make a seam.

Slice each log into 12 (2-inch) buns. Place the buns on a generously-sprayed sheet pan lined with parchment paper, and let them rise for 20 minutes. In the meantime, preheat a convection oven to 350 degrees F (or a conventional oven to 375 degrees F). Bake the buns 25 to 30 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

Remove the pan from heat and let the buns cool 10 minutes before inverting them onto another sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Meanwhile, sift the confectioners sugar into a bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup of the pear juice to make a glaze. Add more juice if needed, and drizzle the glaze over the buns while they are still warm. Serve immediately.