'Buttered' Sweet Potato Knot Rolls

It felt like another good afternoon for bread baking! These yummy dinner rolls are sweeter and richer than other breads, and lend an elegant touch to the dinner table.

Heat 1 cup plain soy milk (such as Silk) to between 100 and 110 degrees (verify the temperature with a thermometer). In a large bowl, dissolve 1 packet yeast (about 2 and 1/4 teaspoons) into the warm soy milk, and let stand 5 minutes.

Add 3/4 cup canned mashed sweet potato, 1 tablespoon melted vegan butter (such as Earth Balance), 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt, and the equivalent of 2 egg yolks using egg replacer (such as Ener-G - in which case you'll want 1 tablespoon powder whisked into 2 tablespoons warm water).

Lightly spoon 4 and 1/2 cups bread flour into measuring cups, and level with a knife. Add the flour to the sweet potato mixture and stir until you have a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes (flatten the dough with the palm of your hand, fold it in half, turn it a quarter turn, and repeat!). You can add up to 1/2 cup more bread flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to your hands, although keep in mind that the dough should be soft and tacky. Quite honestly, I didn't need to add any of that extra flour to this dough, nor did I really need a floured work surface! As always with bread, use your judgment when it comes to how much flour to use.

Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning so the top of the dough is coated as well. Cover and let rise until doubled in size - about 45 minutes - ideally some place about 85 degrees and free from drafts.

Punch the dough down and let it rest for 5 minutes, then divide it into 24 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (keep the remaining dough covered to prevent it from drying out), shape the portion into a 9-inch long rope. Tie that rope into a knot around itself, and tuck the ends underneath. Place the rolls on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, 12 rolls per pan. When forming the 9-inch ropes, I found it easiest to roll/pinch the dough against a work surface; the dough tended to tear apart if I pulled it hard.

Lightly spray the rolls with cooking spray, cover, and let rise on the baking sheets for about 30 minutes.

Uncover the rolls and bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes, with 1 pan on the bottom rack of the oven, and 1 pan on the second rack form the top. Rotate the pans, then bake an additional 7 minutes.

Transfer the rolls to a wire rack, and brush the tops with an additional 2 tablespoons melted vegan butter. You can serve these warm or at room temperature - each roll is 140 calories.

Note: make sure you really tuck the ends of the "knot" under well; I thought I had secured down all of my ends, but a few of them popped back up during baking!

Cost:
canned mashed sweet potato $2.50