I make these Sweet Potato Croissants the morning of Thanksgiving, then heat them up again right before dinner. They are still soft and fresh even a couple of days later!
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in water; let stand for 5 minutes until foamy. Beat in the sweet potatoes, sugar, shortening, egg, salt and 3 cups of flour. Add enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover loosely with a clean dishtowel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch the dough down; divide into thirds. Roll each portion into a 12-inch circle; cut each into 12 wedges. Brush with butter. Roll up from the wide end and place, pointed end down, 2-inches apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
Notes
*If you're searching for a warm place to let your dough rise, turn on your oven to 400 degrees for 1 minute and turn the light on. Turn it OFF after one minute, keep the light on, and place your bowl of dough in the slightly warmed oven. The light will help keep it warm enough to rise. Make sure the oven is turned off!