Sweet Potato Buttermilk Pull-Apart Rolls
Published November 29, 2022
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 45 minutes, plus proofing and cooling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 small orange-fleshed sweet potato (6 ounces), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt
½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing and about 3 tablespoons melted butter for brushing the rolls
4 cups/512 grams all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 envelope)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
Nutritional analysis per serving
31 grams carbs; 33 milligrams cholesterol; 182 calories; 1 gram monosaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 4 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 156 milligrams sodium; 5 grams protein; 3 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a small saucepan, combine the sweet potato with enough water to cover. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn down the heat to medium and gently boil until the sweet potato is very tender when pierced with a knife, 10 to 13 minutes.
- Step 2
Drain and transfer the sweet potato to a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher or fork. Add the buttermilk and ¼ cup of the butter.
- Step 3
If you’re using a stand mixer, beat the sweet potato mixture with a paddle attachment at medium-low speed until fairly smooth, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, yeast, sugar, eggs and 1 ½ teaspoons salt and mix on medium-low speed, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed with a spatula, until the dough is smooth and sticky and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 8 minutes. Add a little more flour if the dough is very sticky.
- Step 4
If you’re using a whisk, beat the sweet potato mixture in the bowl until the mixture is fairly smooth and no lumps remain. Add the flour, yeast, sugar, eggs and 1 ½ teaspoons salt and stir with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are well combined. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes; it will be slightly sticky.
- Step 5
Grease the inside of a large bowl with butter. Transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about 1 ½ hours, or until it has more than doubled in size.
- Step 6
Place the dough on a clean, ungreased surface and divide it into 15 equal pieces, each weighing about 65 grams. Working with one piece of dough at a time, cup each piece beneath your palm and work in quick, circular motions to form a tight ball, with only a tiny seam along the bottom.
- Step 7
Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with more butter and arrange the dough balls in evenly spaced rows. Brush the balls with butter, loosely cover the pan and set aside in a warm place until the balls have turned puffy, doubled in size, and fill the pan, about 1 hour.
- Step 8
About 15 minutes before the rolls are done rising, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the rolls until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack. Brush the rolls gently with a little more butter.
- Step 9
Let cool for 10 minutes, and then turn out the rolls onto the rack and invert again so they are bottom-side down. Let cool for about 20 minutes before serving.
Private Notes
Comments
Generally, you can skip the proofing in a warm spot (partway through step 7) and instead cover the formed rolls and do a slow cold ferment in the fridge overnight. I do that with various bread and rolls and bread and you actually get a more complex flavor with a cold ferment.
Please please please be consistent with measurements - this recipe has grams, cups, teaspoons , ounces and then asks to measure the rolls in 65 gram lots, it would be so helpful to show all 3 measurements or just be consistent with one type - thank you - I really enjoy so many of the recipes you but consistent measurements would be great.
I made these tonight and they are amazing! The roll is tender but has structure from the sweet potato. I followed the recipe. It is very dry right now so I added about a tablespoon extra of buttermilk. I did use my stand mixer for 8 minutes and needed to put the dough in a very warm place to help them rise. These are excellent with some butter and a little honey, or just by themselves.
What could I use to replace the eggs w/out jeopardizing flavor? Flax? Applesauce?
Made double the recipe for Xmas eve. Used a drained can of yams because it was what I had on hand. I was in a time crunch. I mostly followed the recipe. They turned out lovely. Everyone loved them.
I have made these many times and they are very riff-able. I have used pumpkin instead of sweet potato, added roasted garlic, and I usually cook the sweet potato in the buttermilk and butter, and I will add a sprig of thyme if I have it. The buttermilk will split but when you mix everything it doesn’t matter. I usually puree with my immersion blender before adding the flour. Also! I almost always add about 1/4-1/3c of zaatar to these. And sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. Sometimes I think they could use a bit more salt, but they always get eaten up.