
I am the first to admit that I am not much of a baker. Sure I can make cupcakes, and my birthday cakes are passable, but when it came to making up some tasty bun recipes for the burger book, man, oh man, was it tough. Literally, this was the hardest part of the whole book!
Yesterday, I posted about my roll up burgers. I served them up on home made sweet potato buns. Oh so soft and buttery, and just a touch of sweetness. Nummers.
Sweet Potato BunsIngredients (makes 12 buns)1 sweet potato or yam (yielding 2 cups mashed)
1/4 cup margarine
1 cup soymilk
2 tbsp agave nectar
2, 1/4 oz envelopes active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (about 100 degrees)
2 tspn sugar
4-5 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
additional melted margarine for brushing
DirectionsBring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Peel and cut your sweet potato into chunks and boil until mushy.
While the potatoes are boiling, mix yeast into warm water until foamy, add in sugar and mix. Let stand 10 minutes, to double in size. Drain potatoes. Place back into the pot, and mash. Add in margarine, soymilk and agave nectar. Mash until very, very smooth, with as few lumps as possible.
In a seperate, large mixing bowl, mix together salt and 4 cups of the flour. Add risen yeast to the flour and salt and mix together. Add in the potato mixture and knead for about 8-10 minutes, adding additional flour if the dough is too sticky. Knead until a nice, soft elastic dough ball forms. (I knead it right in the bowl.) Cover bowl loosely with a dish towl, and let rise for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two baking sheets, by either lightly greasing, or placing a sheet of parchment paper or a silicone mat on the sheet (parchment or a baking mat works better, and prevents burnt bottoms!) After the hour has passed, punch down the dough and knead about another 2 minutes. Add a little more flour if it's too sticky.
Divide into 12 equal pieces, roll into balls and flatten slightly. Place 6 on each baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush with melted margarine, and bake an additional 5 minutes. Until golden brown on the top.