I was in charge of all of the baking for Thanksgiving this year which in this particular household tends to mean a pumpkin pie, an apple pie, pumpkin dinner rolls, and a breakfast pastry or quick bread for the beginning of the day.  I also had to schedule all of the baking around the roasting of a 20 lb. turkey and a number of roasted sides.  Needless to say, I had to get an early start, and a key part of that early start was getting all my dough and pastry made the day before.  The recipe below was tailored to my two day scheduling and limited oven space. (1) I had never previously overnighted the dough for my pumpkin dinner rolls. (2) I decided to season my rolls with saffron this year which needed yet another night to soak and meld in the vodka. (3) I had to crowd my rolls into smaller pans in order to fit them into the oven.  Instead of the freeform rolls I usually make, I ended up creating pull-apart rolls, or, as I like to call them, kissing rolls.  They start out as individuals rolls and tentatively rise up to lightly kiss their neighbors during the proofing and baking process. (4) My rolls also had to bake at a lower temperature than what I would usually bake them at due to the roasting turkey.  Despite all of my nervous nellie-ing on the probability of me under proofing or over baking them, the rolls turned out fluffy, light, moist, and velvety.  The saffron was also a beautiful addition.  All in all, I ended up baking some excellent rolls, and I look forward to using this recipe in the future.

Saffron & Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

Recipe makes 20 large rolls.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp Vodka
• 1/2 tsp Saffron
• 6 – 7 cups Flour
• 4 tsp Dry Active Yeast
• 1 tbsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 4 Eggs + 1 Egg
• 1 cup warm Water
• 1/2 cup melted Butter
• 15 oz of Pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp Honey

Directions:

1. The night before you intend to make your bread, set the saffron in the vodka to soak overnight.
2. Mix together 2 cups of flour, the yeast, sugar, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, pumpkin, saffron solution, and water.
4. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, and pour the liquids into it.
5. Beat all of the ingredients together into the base sponge.
6. Continue to mix as you add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough archives a fairly solid consistency, although it will still be slightly sticky.
7. Knead the dough for about 4 minutes, until it becomes bouncy and elastic.
8. Place your dough in a greased container, and allow it to r.
9. Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down and divide it into 24 balls.
10. Round each of the balls into a roll.
11. Place the rolls onto two greased or lined baking sheets.
12. Allow the dough to rise for 30 – 40 minutes.
13. Preheat the oven to 350 F (~177 C).
14. Beat together an egg wash using an egg and a tsp of honey.
15. Brush your bread with the wash.
16. Bake your rolls for about 40 minutes.