Happy Halloween, it's coming so quickly! I am, of course, having a sale in my soap shop, 15% off everything, and coupons are still good.
Now, to the important thing. I have made something new and different with pumpkin, I am very happy to share! Pumpkin sweet rolls. I use a bread machine to make all my bread doughs these days, but if you're doing it the hard way, you probably have the skills to make this recipe without me telling you how. These are instructions for us lazy folk!
Pumpkin Sweet Rolls
THE ROLLS
1/2 cup milk
1-1/4 cups cooked pumpkin (can be home canned/drained, which is what I used, or freshly cooked, or frozen, or from a can from the store. Or any winter squash)
1/4 cup water
5 Tbs. butter, cut up into bits
3 Tbs dark brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
4-1/2 cups all purpose flour (you can sub in up to 2 cups white whole wheat for more whole grains. But seriously, if you're trying to eat healthy, perhaps this is not your recipe)
2 tsp. salt
2-1/2 tsp bread machine yeast, instant yeast, or quick acting yeast
THE FILLING
1/2 cup sugar
4 Tbs. Softened butter
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
THE FROSTING
4 oz. cream cheese
2 Tbs. butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2-4 Tbs. milk
First off, blend your pumpkin, milk, and water thoroughly in a blender, with a stick blender, or in a food processor until it's smooth. Add this puree and the rest of the ingredients for the rolls to your bread machine, according to its instructions, and set it to "DOUGH". When it is complete, roll the dough out into a 12" x 18" rectangle. Spread the butter across the rectangle, and then sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, nuts and dried fruit, leaving at least a 2" margin along one of the long sides with no fillings. Roll up the rectangle so that the blank long edge is along the top, and pinch it to seal the roll along that edge. You should have a tube 18" long. Cut into 12 rolls, place in a buttered cookie sheet or large baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let rise 15-30 minutes. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25-27 minutes. For the frosting, mix the butter and cream cheese, add sugar, vanilla, and mix until it's obvious that you need to add some milk. Add the milk a little at a time until you get the consistency you like. I like it thick, so I use just about 2-1/2 Tbs of the milk. Spread frosting and eat, makes 12 huge rolls. Happy Halloween!
