Pink Cinnamon Rolls with Purple Sweet Potato Ermine Frosting

1. Make the Pink Dough — In a small saucepan, whisk together the 30g flour and 150g milk until smooth. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of a thick pudding. Remove it from the heat and allow the tangzhong to cool until just warm or room temperature. Measure the remaining 86g milk and warm it to below 110°F. Stir in the 10g sugar and active dry yeast. Leave the mixture to bloom for about 10 minutes, until foamy. While the yeast blooms, melt the butter and set it aside to cool. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the 345g all-purpose flour, 50g sugar, salt, and 2½ teaspoons Suncore Foods® Ruby Red Radish Powder. Mix thoroughly so the color is evenly distributed throughout the flour. Add the cooled tangzhong, egg, cooled melted butter, and bloomed yeast mixture. Mix with the dough hook on low speed until no dry flour remains. Stop the mixer and allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Knead on medium-low speed until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky, approximately 8–12 minutes. It should begin pulling away from the sides of the bowl but may remain attached at the bottom. Lightly oil your hands with avocado oil. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. To check the dough, press two lightly floured fingers approximately 1 inch into it. When the indentation slowly springs partway back, it is ready. If it immediately bounces back, allow it to rise longer.
2. Prepare the Filling — While the dough rises, mix the softened butter, granulated sugar, colored powder, vanilla, and salt until evenly combined into a thick, spreadable paste. Line the baking pan with parchment paper or grease it thoroughly.
3. Shape the Rolls — Gently press the air from the risen dough and turn it onto a lightly greased work surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 10 × 18 inches, with the longer side facing you. Spread the colored sugar filling evenly over the dough, reaching close to the edges but leaving approximately ½ inch bare along the far long edge. Beginning with the long edge nearest you, roll the dough into a snug log. Pinch the bare edge against the log to seal it. Use unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife to divide the log into 6 equal rolls. Arrange the rolls in the prepared pan in two rows of three, leaving a little space between them. Cover loosely and let rise for approximately 30–45 minutes, or until visibly puffy and no longer dense when gently pressed. While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Bake — Once the rolls have finished proofing, place the pan on the center oven rack and immediately reduce the temperature to 325°F. The lower temperature helps preserve the pink color. Bake for approximately 28–35 minutes, until the rolls are risen, lightly golden on top, and reach an internal temperature of about 190–195°F in the center. Let the rolls cool in the pan while you prepare the frosting. For neatly defined frosting, allow them to cool almost completely. For softer, slightly melted frosting, spread it over the rolls while they are still faintly warm.
5. Make the Purple Sweet Potato Ermine Frosting — In a saucepan, whisk together the milk, flour, sugar, and salt until completely smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture becomes very thick and pudding-like. Once it begins bubbling, continue cooking and whisking for approximately 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste. Transfer the roux to a shallow bowl. Cover its surface directly with plastic wrap or parchment paper to prevent a skin from forming. Let the roux cool completely to room temperature. It must not feel warm before it is added to the butter. Beat the softened butter with an electric mixer for 4–5 minutes, until very pale, fluffy, and increased in volume. With the mixer running at medium speed, add the cooled roux one spoonful at a time. Allow each addition to blend into the butter before adding more. Continue beating until the frosting is smooth, light, and silky. Mix in the vanilla. Add 20g Suncore Foods® Purple Sweet Potato Powder and beat until evenly incorporated. Add more powder gradually, up to approximately 30 g total, until the frosting reaches the desired purple color and flavor. If the powder makes the frosting slightly too firm, beat in milk 1 teaspoon at a time. If the frosting seems soft, chill it for 10–15 minutes and then whip it again. Spread generous swoops of purple sweet potato ermine frosting over the cooled rolls