Living in the Colorado high country is pure joy. Baking in it isn’t. High altitude makes cookies spread in the pan, cakes fall, and few baked goods turn out as they do at sea level. This twice-monthly column presents recipes and tips to make baking in the mountains successful.

Meet a sweet roll that’s as good as the ones grandma made but much faster and easier to prepare. The secret? Both the yeast dough and the filling are made in a food processor. And, by using instant yeast, I’ve cut the required time even further. I love to knead yeast dough and for years had my doubts about making it in a processor, but after several famous bakers touted their use, I gave it a try. Now, I’m all in.

Make sure all ingredients are cold or at room temperature since the processor generates a lot of heat and the yeast can be killed by too high a temperature. And lastly — don’t over-process. 

Dough

2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

1/4 cup granulated sugar, preferably superfine

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces

2 large egg yolks

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk or cream, cold

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste

Filling

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of raisins or a combination of dried fruit

2 tablespoons brandy, Grand Marnier, bourbon, rum or orange juice 

1 1/4 cups of walnuts

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

2 teaspoons of flour

Get ready: Combine the dried fruit and brandy in a microwave-safe bowl, cover, and warm in a microwave at a medium temperature until the fruit softens. Set this aside to come to room temperature.

Make the dough: Add the yeast, sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon to the bowl of your food processor and pulse until the ingredients are well mixed. Add the butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form. In a small bowl with a spout combine 1 of the egg yolks, the cold milk/cream and vanilla and whisk to combine. With the motor running, slowly pour this mixture through the feed tube, make sure it’s absorbed before adding more (if the liquid is added too fast, the dough will turn into a messy blob). When needed, turn off the processor and scrape down the sides. Continue to process until the dough starts to form a ball. You may have to add more flour or more liquid to get the dough to the desired consistency. Don’t overprocess!

Let dough rise: Scrape the dough onto a sheet of waxed paper and knead it gently into a ball. Place it in a lightly buttered bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and move it to a warm spot to rise. It won’t double in size but will get puffy enough to hold an impression if you press it with your finger. Start checking after 40 minutes, though it may take longer. 

While the dough rises, make the filling: Put the walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and flour in the bowl of your food processor and pulse until the walnuts are coarsely chopped. Add the cooled dried fruit and the liquid from their bowl. Process until the nuts are finely ground. Set this aside. 

Roll the dough: Place the dough on a sheet of floured parchment or waxed paper, and pat it into a small, flat square. Cover the square with a second piece of floured paper and roll it into a 14-inch square. Carefully lift the paper off the dough occasionally as you roll so it isn’t sticking to it. Flip the dough, between the sheets of paper, over, and carefully lift what was the bottom sheet off the rolled dough to make sure it isn’t sticking.  

Add the filling: Spoon the filling onto the dough and spread it in an even layer to 1-inch from the sides. Lift the paper from the side facing you and slowly start rolling the dough (don’t stretch it) into a compact cylinder. Pinch and press the seam and the ends so they’re well sealed. 

Let dough rise again: Transfer the roll to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap, move it to a warm place and let it rise until it’s slightly puffy. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees with a rack in the center position.

Bake: Whisk the remining egg yolk with 1 teaspoon milk. Uncover the roll, place it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and brush it with the egg mixture (you won’t use it all). Bake until the roll is set and golden, 40-45 minutes but check earlier. 

Cool, slice, serve: Move to a rack to cool completely. If you’re not serving it immediately, wrap and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Use a sharp thin-bladed knife to cut the roll into ¼-inch slices. Serve at room temperature. 

Vera Dawson’s column “High Country Baking” publishes biweekly in the Summit Daily News. Dawson is a high-elevation baking instructor and author of three high-altitude cookbooks. Her recipes have been tested in her kitchen in Frisco, where she’s lived since 1991, and altered until they work at elevation. Contact her at veradawson1@gmail.com.