Spiced Apple-Chestnut Rolls

Chilly Sunday mornings mean a few things in our house: a roaring fire, hot chocolate, and some variation of a cinnamon roll. This morning I whipped up an applesauce roll with chestnut paste filling.

1 T active yeast
2 t organic granulated sugar
1 1/2 C applesauce
2 C white whole wheat flour
pinch salt
1 T olive oil
1/2 stick butter
2 T chestnut puree
3/4 C organic turbinado sugar
1 T pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter and lightly flour a baking pan and set aside.

Combine yeast, 1/2 C warm water and granulated sugar together in a mixing bowl. Stir gently and let stand till the yeast blooms, about 3 minutes. Stir in applesauce, flour and salt until a sticky dough forms.

Knead dough on a floured surface for 4-5 minutes or until very elastic. Pour the olive oil into a mixing bowl and transfer dough to the bowl. Turn dough over to make sure the oil coats it completely. Cover bowl with a clean dish towel and place in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

While dough rises, combine the butter, chestnut puree*, turbinado sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well until a creamy paste forms.

Once dough has risen, punch dough down and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a large rectangle. Use a rubber spatula or butter knife to spread the chestnut-butter-turbinado sugar mixture all over the dough. Roll up tightly, pinching to seal, so you have a 12” long cylinder. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut the cylinder into 8-10 disks. Arrange disks in the buttered, floured pan.

Bake for 16-19 minutes, or until edges have turned golden-brown. Let cool slightly and serve warm. Makes 8-10 cinnamon rolls. Oh, if you want a glaze...1/2 C powdered sugar, 2 T heavy cream or milk. Whisk till smooth.

*To make the chestnut puree, I buy the steamed, whole chestnuts from Trader Joe's and stick them in a blender.