Cinnamon-Pumpkin Rolls

As the new Food Coordinator for our church's MOPS program this fall (Mothers Of Preschoolers), I thought the first snack, only 2 days before Halloween, should be something pumpkin-y. A cookbook search yielded a pumpkin bread recipe that was easily transformed into cinnamon bun type goodness. Yum. Pumpkin... Pecans... brown sugary sweetness... Trick or Treat indeed!

2 3/4- 3 cups all purpose flour

2 packages active dry yeast (or 2.5 teaspoons instant/bread machine yeast)

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoons butter or hard margarine

1.5 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin

1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces*

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Filling:

1/8 cup butter or hard margarine, softened

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Syrup:

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup butter or hard margarine

2 teaspoons corn syrup/golden syrup

In large mixer bowl, thoroughly combine 1.5 cups of the flour, the yeast* (if using instant/bread machine yeast) and the spices.

In saucepan, heat milk, brown sugar, butter and salt just until warm (115-120*F), stirring constantly to melt butter.*If using active dry yeast (little balls) sprinkle over warm milk mixture and let stand until it foams/puffs up. Add to dry mixture in mixer bowl; add pumpkin. Beat at low speed with electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. By hand, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a nice, soft- but not sticky- dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (5-8 minutes). Shape into ball.

Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once. Cover and let rise in warm place until double in bulk, (1- 1.5 hours)

When dough has risen, mix Filling ingredients together; set aside.

Roll dough into a 9 x 12 inch rectangle, and spread filling evenly over dough. Roll up from the long side, and let roll rest while you make the syrup.

Melt syrup ingredients together in small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar and blend well. Syrup should be smooth and un-separated, like caramel sauce, but it's alright if the butter hasn't blended in. If the syrup starts to boil, remove from heat immediately, or you'll find the syrup turns to hard candy when the buns are baked.

Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with lightly greased aluminum foil. Pour syrup into the pan. Sprinkle the toasted pecans (and raisins if you like) evenly over the syrup. Cut the pumpkin roll into 12 one inch pieces and place over syrup and nuts in pan.

Let stand in warm place until doubled in bulk- 1- 1.5 hours, and then bake at 350*F for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned.

Remove from oven to cooling rack and let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Line a cookie sheet (a little bigger than the baking pan) with foil, then put a layer of plastic wrap or waxed paper on the foil. Put the paper/foil lined cookie sheet over the baking pan, then carefully flip the pan upside down onto it. Remove the baking pan and foil, scraping syrup and nuts back onto buns with a rubber spatula.

*to toast pecans, put in oven safe dish and place under broiler, stirring frequently until just starting to brown.

Makes 12 cinnamon-pumpkin buns.