Vegan Holiday: Sweet Potato Bread Variation - Cinnamon Sweetbread

Good (chilly) morning, ninjas!  If you are living here in the Northeast of the United States, you're with me in getting some wet snow and sleet!  I can't think of a better time to post a recipe for some warm and yummy homemade bread.

I posted a recipe for these sweet potato rolls a few weeks ago, and because I still had some cooked sweet potato in the fridge waiting to be used up, I decided to try a variation of that recipe and make a cinnamon sweet bread.  This recipe would be perfect for your vegan Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate) dinner, or maybe try using it to make some crunchy coconut french toast for a yummy holiday brunch.  Of course, it's also delicious on it's own, or just toasted with a touch of non-dairy butter and eaten with a cup of hot chai. 

This bread is only lightly sweetened, but if you prefer a sweeter bread you can simply add more sugar.  However, I feel like the current level of sweetness is perfect for pretty much any meal from breakfast toast to an accompaniment to a holiday feast.  This recipe can be made super-easily in a bread machine or can be made by hand, and it can be used to make dinner rolls or a regular loaf of bread.  I provide instructions for both :)

Cinnamon Sweetbread

Makes 12 large rolls or 1 large loaf of bread

Ingredients:

1 cup peeled and diced cooked sweet potato, canned or fresh
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup non-dairy butter, softened
3 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups flour, plus more for kneading/dusting 

To make in a bread machine:
If you are using canned sweet potato, drain the can and give the pieces a quick rinse to remove most of the syrup.  Mash the diced potato very well in a large bowl until very smooth.  Add the mashed potato and all the rest of the ingredients to your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.  If you want to make a traditional loaf of bread, simply set your machine to the setting for a "large" loaf of bread and let it do the rest!  Remove the bread from the bread machine pan promptly after the cycle finishes and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
If you want to make dinner rolls, set the machine to the "dough" setting.  Once the dough cycle is complete, turn the dough out of the bread machine onto a floured surface.  Divide the dough into 12 equal portions.  The easiest way to do this is to pat the dough into a roughly square shape on your floured surface.  Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife (kitchen shears are easiest), cut the dough in half.  Cut each half in half again so you have four pieces of dough that are roughly equal in size.  Use your knife or shears to cut each piece into three equal portions.  Roll each portion into a rounded shape.  They don't have to be perfect; just try to get them as round-ish as you can.  Place the rolls on a lightly greased baking sheet, cover with a towel, and allow to rise for another 30 minutes.  Before baking, brush the tops of the buns lightly with non-dairy milk.  Bake in an oven pre-heated to 375 degrees F. for 22-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  Serve warm.

To make by hand:
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a large bowl.  The yeast should start to form bubbles after a few minutes, if it doesn't, it means your yeast is dead and you need to start over with new yeast.  If you are using canned sweet potatoes, drain the can and give them a quick rinse to remove most of the syrup.  Mash the sweet potatoes very well in a bowl.  Add the mashed sweet potato, milk, non-dairy butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt to the yeast mixture and stir.  Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.  When the dough gets too stiff to mix with a spoon, knead it with well-floured hands.  The dough should come together into a smooth ball, but it shouldn't be too dry.  Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead well for about 10 minutes.  Place the dough in a large bowl that is lightly oiled with non-dairy butter or canola oil.  Turn the dough to coat the outside with oil.  Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and allow to rise in a warm place for one hour. 
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it a few times.  If you are making a traditional loaf of bread, put the dough into a large, lightly greased loaf pan.  If you are making dinner rolls, divide the dough into 12 equal portions and place the rolls on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Cover the dough with a towel, and allow to rise for another 30 minutes.  Before baking, brush the top lightly with non-dairy milk.  Bake in an oven pre-heated to 375 degrees F. for 35-40 minutes for a loaf or 22-25 minutes for dinner rolls.  The bread should be lightly golden brown and a loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.  If you baked your bread in a loaf pan, allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Tips and Tricks:

1. Store leftover bread in a plastic bag on the counter (not in the fridge!) to keep it fresh as long as possible.  Try to eat the bread within 4 or 5 days or it will start to get stale/moldy.

2. If you make this recipe as dinner rolls, the big, puffy rolls also double well as sandwich and/or burger buns.

Well, that's all for now.  I'm working on another recipe for your vegan Christmas celebration to be posted soon - balsamic glazed roasted green beans!  See you all soon!

Love,

The Fur Ninja <3