the subtle flavor of nutmeg goes really well with the eventual nut butter you might slather upon these babies. I know my taste buds are still dancing for joy…

adapted from my gal Betty Crocker’s Bread Machine Cookbook, but no bread machine involved here.

for 4 rolls:

1/2 cup sweet potato purée [I used homemade but you can find it canned too; if it was in the fridge prior to use, bring it to room temp. if it is still hot, you want to let it cool down to being lukewarm, so as not to kill the yeast]

1/3 cup + 2 T pure water

1 T canola oil

2 T pure maple syrup

1 cup bread flour [spoon and level]

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour [s & l]

1/4 cup dark rye flour [s & l]

1 T soy milk powder [optional, but it helps with the texture and adds protein, albeit a trivial amount]

4 t vital wheat gluten

1 t sea salt

1/4 t ground nutmeg

3/4 t bread machine or instant-rise yeast

if your yeast isn’t too fresh, proof it by whisking it in lukewarm water along with the syrup for about 10 minutes. it should bubble up and foam. you’re good to go if that’s the case, if not? toss and grab a new pack of yeast and do it all over again.

I usually don’t bother because I buy so much yeast that it doesn’t have time to go bad.

whisk in oil and sweet potato. start adding the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon, until you need to start using your hands to knead the dough. place on a clean, lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, for about 5-10 minutes. you might have to add a little more flour (a little at a time!) until it’s not too sticky anymore. shape into a ball.

lightly coat a large bowl with oil, swirl the dough around to coat it so that it doesn’t go dry while rising. cover with lid or plastic wrap, let rise in a warm area for 90 minutes.

20 minutes prior to dough being done rising, preheat oven to 400F.

lightly coat 4 mini Bundt pans with non-stick cooking spray, add flour and shake it around so that it covers the whole pan. if you don’t want to use Bundt pans, simply line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat.

punch down dough, flatten it a bit and divide into 4 equal parts. shape into balls.

if using mini Bundt pans: make a hole in the center of each ball of dough, like you would with a bagel. place it in the pan and press it down with the flat of a spoon.

if not using Bundt pans: place on prepared baking sheet.

bake for 20 minutes, until the bottoms sound hollow when tapped, the rolls look golden brown, and that an instant-read thermometer reads the rolls to be 200F in their center.

(there’s no need for a second rise with the type of yeast used here, but if you use active dry yeast instead? definitely cover them up with plastic wrap and let them rise again before putting them in the oven.)

let cool on a rack.