Chilean sopaipillas

In fall and winter I love to spend a pleasant afternoon eating buns and making traditional games with the whole family.

Ingredients

- 9 ounces pumpkin squash
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 cups canola oil for pan-frying

Directions

1. Peel, seed, and cut the pumpkin into chunks. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until pumpkin is soft and easily pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
2. Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a mixing bowl, and set aside. Stir together the squash and melted butter. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until blended. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until soft and satiny, adding a little more flour if necessary. Cover dough with a towel and allow to rest 15 minutes.
3. Roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thick, and cut into 3 inch diameter circles. Poke each circle a few times with a fork to make holes and prevent rising.
4. Pour vegetable oil into a large, deep skillet and heat over medium-high heat until hot, 385 degrees F (195 degrees C). Place several of the dough circles into hot oil; cook until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cook remainder of dough circles in batches.

Boil the molasses with:

- water,
- cloves,
- cinnamon stick and
- orange peel to dissolve the molasses.

Incorporate the Sopaipillas
and boil 5 minutes.