Carrot Cake Sticky Rolls (vegan)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup bread flour
• 2 tablespoon vegan butter
• 3 tablespoons raw sugar, (a tablespoon more for sweeter roll)
• 1/2 cup carrot, (finely grated or coarsely blended)
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon quick rise yeast

Filling/Topping:

• 2 teaspoons vegan butter
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2/3 cup cranberries/raisins or per filling requirement
• 1/2 cup cashews/walnuts coarsely ground or finely chopped
• sugar as needed

Steps

1. In a large bowl, warm 2 Tablespoons water and add the yeast with a teaspoon of sugar. Mix thoroughly and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
2. Coarsely grind the carrots with a little water if needed, or use finely grated carrots as for a carrot cake. This yeast bread works well with coarse, mushy blended carrot. Blend the sugar into the carrots for a few seconds to combine.
3. Put the wheat and bread flours into the bowl of yeast mixture. Add salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, softened butter, and carrot purée or grated carrot, then knead. Grated carrots may require a little more water to form the dough.
4. Knead to a soft dough that is not sticky, using more bread flour or water if needed.
5. Put the dough into a well-greased container. Spritz its top with water, cover the container, and leave for 1.5 hours or until doubled.
6. Knead the dough with a little flour, then roll into a rectangle half an inch thick.
7. For the filling, melt the butter in a pan and mix in maple syrup, cinnamon, cranberries, and chopped cashews thoroughly. Remove from the heat. Alternatively, keep the syrup separate from the cranberries and cashews to make spreading easier.
8. Spread the syrup and nuts evenly all over the dough, up to an inch from the corners. Add a sprinkling of sugar and more cinnamon if desired; a little sugar was sprinkled in this preparation. Make more or less filling for the thickness of filling layer you prefer.
9. Roll the dough tightly from one end, like a jelly roll. Seal the edge and sides with some water.
10. Cut inch-thick slices from the jelly roll, keeping the seam side down.
11. Arrange the slices an inch apart on a greased baking sheet or parchment. Spritz the tops with water, cover with a towel, and let rise for 45 minutes.
12. With the oven at 350 degrees F, bake the rolls for 20 minutes.
13. Cool on a rack, then serve warm topped with the filling mixture, warm maple/agave, cream cheese frosting made by fluffing up some Earth Balance, sugar, vanilla, and Tofutti, or vanilla icing.
14. The rolls have a very mild sweetness. Add more sugar and/or maple to suit your taste.