Sweet Potato and Pecan Cinnamon Buns with Maple Glaze

By SAEB

This recipe makes 12 medium cinnamon buns. If you prefer jumbo bakery-style buns, slice the dough into nine pieces and bake in a 9-inch square pan.

Vegetarian Times Magazine
November 2011 p.46

Ingredients

• Sweet Potato Dough
• 1 0.25-oz. pkg. active dry yeast
• 3 1/3 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling dough
• 2 Tbs. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup mashed cooked sweet potato
• 3 Tbs. vegetable oil, plus more for oiling bowl
• Cinnamon-Pecan Filling
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbs. very soft vegan margarine, plus more for greasing pan
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans, divided
• Maple Glaze
• 3 Tbs. vegan cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp. natural maple flavor
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from vegetariantimes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. To make Sweet Potato Dough: Stir yeast into 1/3 cup warm (105°–115°F) water until dissolved. Let stand 10 minutes.

2. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in bowl of food processor, stand mixer, or regular bowl. (Reserve 1/3 cup flour if kneading by hand.)

3. Stir sweet potato and oil into 1/3 cup warm water. Stir yeast mixture and sweet potato mixture into flour mixture. 
(If using food processor, add liquids through feeding tube with processor running. If using stand mixer with dough hook, add liquids in steady stream with mixer on low speed.) Follow kneading instructions below.

4. Place dough in oiled bowl; cover. Let rise 1 hour, or until doubled in volume.

5. To make Cinnamon-Pecan Filling: Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon in bowl. Grease 13- x 9-inch baking sheet with margarine.

6. Roll dough into 14- x 12-inch rectangle. Spread with margarine. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over dough; top with half of chopped pecans. Starting at long edge, roll up dough. Slice 1 inch off each end; discard. Cut roll crosswise into 12 1-inch-thick 
pieces, and place on prepared baking sheet. Cover, and let rise in warm place 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

7. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake buns 
18 to 20 minutes, or until golden.

8. To make Maple Glaze: Combine cream cheese, maple flavor, and salt in small bowl. Stir in confectioners’ sugar. Spread glaze over warm buns; top with remaining pecans.

3 ways to knead

By Hand Best for cooks who want to “feel” when dough is ready and desire more control.

1. Combine all but 1/3 cup of flour (reserve this for kneading) with dry ingredients in bowl. Stir in yeast and liquids until a shaggy dough forms. Turn dough onto work surface dusted with reserved flour. Gather the edges of dough into center to make a tight ball, and press with heel of hand several times to remove air from dough. Let dough rest 4 to 5 minutes so it will be less sticky when you knead.
2. Flatten dough ball by pushing down and away from you with the heel of your hand (dough will be an oval-shaped blob). Pull and fold far edge back over dough. Turn dough a quarter turn. Repeat. Kneading can take 2 to 10 minutes. Fully kneaded dough will be smooth and won’t stick to your hands.

Stand Mixer (with hook attachment) Best for traditionalists who don’t like to get their hands sticky. This method comes closest to hand kneading without the effort.
Place dry ingredients in mixer bowl, and fit mixer with dough hook. Mix on low speed 1 minute to combine. With mixer running at low speed, add yeast and liquids by pouring them down the inside of the bowl. Increase speed to medium-low, and mix 2 minutes. Let dough rest 5 minutes. Mix at medium-low speed 5 minutes, or until dough is smooth. Increase speed to medium, and mix 2 minutes. Kneading is done when dough makes a slapping sound as it hits the side of the bowl. Dough temperature should be close to 90°F.

Food Processor (with regular or dough blade) Best for bakers in a hurry. The blade kneads dough in under 90 seconds.
Pulse dry ingredients in food processor fitted with dough blade to combine. With processor running, add yeast and liquids through feed tube. Stop once liquids have been added. Pulse on and off 8 to 10 times until dough comes together in a ball and no dry ingredients remain. Dough temperature will be about 90°F.