butternut squash rolls with brown butter

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally so the butter cooks evenly. Cook until the butter foams and begins to brown. Once the butter turns a toasty brown color and begins to smell nutty, remove the pan from the heat. Set aside to cool.
2. Gently warm milk, then stir in yeast and a pinch of sugar. Let stand for about 5 minutes, until foamy.
3. Combine proofed yeast and milk, 4 tbsp of browned butter, egg, butternut squash, brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir until well mixed, using the back of a spoon to break up any large pieces of squash.
4. Stir in the flour, one cup at a time, until a sticky dough forms. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed if the dough is very sticky. Place the dough in a clean, lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size.
5. Combine 4 tbsp of the brown butter, 1 tbsp of honey and 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl, warming the butter if necessary.
6. Line a 9- or 10-inch round baking pan with parchment paper. Gently deflate the dough and cut it into 4 equal sized pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough to form a log (about 1 1/2” in diameter). Cut the log into 8 pieces, repeat with remaining 3 sections of dough, for a total of 32 pieces of dough.
7. Roll each piece of dough in the brown butter-honey mixture, and then place in the prepared pan pan. You may need to mix the butter honey mixture with a fork as you go to prevent it from separating. The pan will be crowded, but continue to squeeze in the last remaining dough pieces. Cover and let the rolls rise for 45 minutes to an hour.
8. Preheat your oven to 350° F. Bake the rolls for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown. While the rolls are baking, combine the remaining 4 tbsp brown butter with the remaining 1 tbsp of honey. Chill and whip with a handheld mixer, if desired, for a whipped honey butter.
9. When the rolls are done, set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Place a plate on top of the rolls, invert the pan and plate and lift the pan off the rolls. Peel the paper away and serve with the honey butter.