Cinnamon-Swirl Pumpkin Rolls

Each fall we process our eating pumpkins and freeze to enjoy throughout the year. Depending on the growing season,  I usually have plenty of pumpkin puree. I use most of it in baked goods, but use to make bisque, oatmeal and pudding. 

These delicious breakfast rolls combine pumpkin, whole grain flour and dried fruit to provide a hearty start to your day. If you don't eat them all, they re-warm well in the microwave. I added the dried cranberries and swapped out the crystallized ginger for pecans.

Combine dough ingredients in a mixer until a shaggy dough comes together. 

Knead for a few minutes. Dough will form a soft, smooth ball.

Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise.

Roll dough on a greased surface to 14" x 22" rectangle.

Top with cinnamon sugar and dried fruit/crystallized ginger, if using.

Starting at the short end, roll dough to form a log. Pinch seam to seal.

Slice log into 9 equal pieces. Place in a greased 9" pan. Cover and let rise.

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees. Let cool 15 minutes.

Make glaze and drizzle over rolls. 

Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Rolls

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Dough
1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup lukewarm water*
1/4 cup soft butter
2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 3/4 cups White Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, optional
3 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast
*Adjust the amount of water by the time of year or your climate. For summer, or in a humid enivronment, use the lesser amount of water. In winter, or in a dry climate, use the greater amount. 

Filling
3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup minced crystallized ginger, raisins, or dried cranberries, optional

Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons milk, or enough to make a "drizzlable" glaze

Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients together — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — until you've made a soft, fairly smooth dough. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise for 1 1/2 hours, until it's almost doubled in bulk. Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased surface. Roll it into a 14" x 22" rectangle; the dough will be thin.

Make the filling: Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Spread over dough, leaving one short edge free of filling. Sprinkle with crystallized ginger or dried fruit (or both), if desired. Starting with the short end that's covered with filling, roll the dough into a log.

Cut the log into nine 1 ½"-thick rolls. Place the rolls into a lightly greased 9" x 9" pan that's at least 2" deep. Set aside, covered, to rise for 1 hour, or until the rolls look puffy.

Bake the rolls in a preheated 375°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until they're lightly browned and feel set. Remove them from the oven, and set them on a rack. Turn them out of the pan, and allow them to cool for about 15 minutes. Towards the end of the cooling time, make the glaze.

To make the glaze: Heat the butter and milk together till the butter melts. Whisk into the sugar.  Drizzle the warm rolls with the warm glaze. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired.

Yield: 9 rolls.

Homemade Toaster Pastry

Breakfast is my favorite meal. Weekdays I usually have a simple bowl of cereal, or toast, or if I've got a few extra minutes, a smoothie. So when I saw this recipe for toaster pastries, I had to check it out. Feels like a weekend indulgence on a weekday.

I had some blueberry preserves tthat I used for the filling. Feel free to use your favorite jam flavor. I made the crust with all-purpose flour. Next time I'll mix in some whole wheat. I also added a drizzle of powdered sugar icing.

These are tasty without reheating, but even better crisped in the toaster or toaster oven. Avoid the microwave to prevent a soft moist crust.

Resist the urge to add liquid to the crust. Press to combine. It will come together!

Divide dough in half and press into two 3'x5' rectangles.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out hone piece of dough, section into nine equal pieces and brush
with egg wash. Place 1 Tbsp filling in the center of each rectangle.

Roll out second piece of dough and place on top. Seal and crimp. Separate pastries and bake.

Let cool. Add a drizzle of icing, if you prefer.

These are great just out of the oven or toasted the next day.

Flaky layers with a tasty filling.

Toaster Pastries

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Makes 9 pastries

Filling

3/4 cup (8 ounces) jam
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp cold water
Place jam in a small saucepan. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Add to jam, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool.

Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pats
1 large egg
2 Tbsp milk

Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp milk

To make the dough: Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Work in the butter until the mixture holds together when you squeeze it, with pea-sized lumps of butter still visible. Mix the egg and milk, and add it to the dough, mixing just until everything is cohesive.

Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a rough 3" x 5" rectangle, smoothing the edges. Wrap in plastic or waxed paper, and refrigerate for 30 minutes; this will relax the gluten and firm up the dough a bit, making it easier to roll. You can also refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days; let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature before you roll it out.

To assemble the tarts: Place one piece of the dough on a generously floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8" thick, large enough that you can trim it to an even 9" x 12". Trim off the edges; place the scraps on a baking sheet, and set them aside, along with the 9" x 12" rectangle of dough.

Roll the second piece of dough just as you did the first. Press the edge of a ruler into the dough you've just rolled, to gently score it in thirds lengthwise and width-wise; you'll see nine 3" x 4" rectangles.

Beat the egg, and brush it over the entire surface of the dough. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each marked rectangle. Place the second sheet of dough atop the first, using your fingertips press firmly around each pocket of jam, sealing the dough well on all sides.

Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle. Cut the dough evenly in between the filling mounds to make nine tarts. Press the cut edges with your fingers to seal, then press with a fork to seal again.

Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork; you want to make sure steam can escape, or the tarts will become billowy pillows rather than flat toaster pastries.  Refrigerate, uncovered, for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.

Remove tarts from the fridge, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until they're a light golden brown. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool on the pan. Drizzle with glaze.

Glaze: Combine powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled pastries.