Yam-Yam Honey Buns

I decided we should have "New Recipe Sunday's" since we're on the early schedule and have more time to cook. This is another recipe from the 1955 Pillsbury bake off. I left half the pan without the pecans since we have some "nut haters" in the family and I wanted everyone to try these. We also didn't mention that they have sweet potatoes in them ;-) And if you know they have sweet potatoes you can kind of taste them but not really noticeable at all! I think since they're so full of that great vegetable and vitamin 'A' they might qualify as a health food.

2 Tbs. yeast
1/2 cup very warm sweet potato liquid (drained from a can of sweet potatoes)
1/2 cup mashed sweet potatoes or yams (canned or cooked)
3 Tbs. melted butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3 1/2 - 4 cups flour

Filling:
2 Tbs. melted butter
3/4 - 1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Honey Nut Topping:
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp. salt

To make the dough:
Stir the yeast into the very warm sweet potato liquid and let stand 5 minutes. Combine mashed sweet potatoes, 3 tbs. melted butter, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and yeast mixture in large bowl. Mix until well combined. Add flour until dough cleans the sides of the bowl. Cover with waxed paper or towel and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Set a cooling rack over a very large bowl of very hot (I used boiling) water then set the covered bowl with the dough on top.
While the dough rises make the Honey Nut Topping:
Combine the 1/3 cup honey, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 tsp. salt in saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, 1 1/2 minutes or until 234 degrees on candy thermometer. Pour into greased 13 X 9 baking pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans, chopped or whole.
Punch down dough and place on well floured board or counter top turning to coat dough with flour. Roll out to a 24 x 8 inch rectangle. Brush with 2 Tbs. melted butter. Sprinkle with 3/4 - 1 cup brown sugar and 1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Roll as for jelly roll, starting with 24 inch side. Cut or "tie off" with dental floss (they had to use strong thread in 1955 - no dental floss invented then!) into twelve 2-inch slices. (To tie off slices, place floss under roll and pull ends around, crossing as if to tie in knot.) Place cut-side down over topping. Cover. Let rise in warm place until doubled in size, 30-45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees 20-25 minutes. Cool 1 minute, then invert of serving plate or cookie sheet. Let stand 30 seconds before removing pan. Use spatula to scrape extra topping back onto rolls.