Pumpkin Shaped Bread
This pumpkin shaped bread is a soft, golden loaf made with real pumpkin puree and fresh rosemary, tied with kitchen twine to give it its pumpkin shape. It’s a showstopping bake for autumn tables, Halloween, Bonfire Night and Thanksgiving.
Equipment
1 stand mixer or mixing bowl
1 steamer basket
1 saucepan
1 potato masher
1 proving basket
1 round casserole or Dutch oven
Disclaimer: the equipment list above includes affiliate links to products I use and like.
Ingredients
- 375 g pumpkin
- 500 g bread flour
- 7 g fast-action dried yeast
- 5 g sugar
- 8 g salt
- 2 Tbsp freshly chopped rosemary leaves
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Up to 100 ml [6 to 7 Tbsp] of tepid water
- 4 ice cubes
EXTRAS
- Flour for dusting
- Vegetable oil for the twine
- Food-safe kitchen twine
Instructions
- Remove the stalk of the pumpkin and reserve to decorate the bread later on.
- Peel, deseed and dice the pumpkin.375 g pumpkin
- Steam the pumpkin either in the Kenwood Cooking Chef XL or in a steamer basket placed over a pan of simmering water for 10 to 12 minutes or until completely soft.
- When the pumpkin is cooked, mash to a puree with a potato masher. Drain off if there is too much excess water, then leave to cool until lukewarm, as hot pumpkin can kill the yeast.
- Add the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Keep the yeast and salt on opposite sides of the bowl before mixing (salt can inhibit the yeast if they come into direct contact). Stir the dry ingredients together.500 g bread flour, 7 g fast-action dried yeast, 5 g sugar, 8 g salt
- Stand mixer: Fit the dough hook and set to medium-low speed. Add the pumpkin puree, rosemary leaves, and olive oil and mix for 5 to 8 minutes. If the dough feels too stiff, add some water a tablespoon at a time until a soft dough ball forms.By hand: Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, then add the pumpkin puree, rosemary leaves, and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon and then knead with your hands for 10 minutes until a soft dough ball forms. If the dough feels too stiff, add some water a tablespoon at a time.2 Tbsp freshly chopped rosemary leaves, 2 Tbsp olive oil, Up to 100 ml [6 to 7 Tbsp] of tepid water
- Cover the bowl and leave the dough to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size (about 1 to 1½ hours). If you are using the Kenwood Cooking Chef XL, use the splashguard to cover the bowl and warm the bowl to 30°C with the Cooking Chef induction plate.
- When the dough has doubled in size, deflate it with your fist. Gather the dough into a ball and tip it onto a lightly floured surface.Flour for dusting
- Stretch and fold the dough: gently lift one edge of the dough up and stretch it. Fold that stretched piece over the top centre of the dough. Repeat the process for all four sides of the dough ball.
- Flip the dough upside down so that the smooth surface is at the top. Move the dough ball in a small circular motion tucking the outer edges underneath it as you turn it to build tension on the surface of the dough until you have a tight, firm dough ball.
- Dust a round proving basket with flour. Place the ball of dough smooth side down into the prepared basket.
- Cover the basket with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes until the dough has doubled in size.
- While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 230°C / 450°F (Fan 210°C / 410°F). Place a round Dutch oven with its lid inside to heat up for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the twine: Cut four pieces of food-safe kitchen twine (about 40cm / 16 inches each). Place them in a glass and drizzle some vegetable oil over them. Oiling the kitchen twine prevents it from sticking to the bread while baking.Vegetable oil for the twine, Food-safe kitchen twine
- When the dough is ready, remove the cling film and lay the four oiled pieces of twine over the dough to divide it into eight even slices. Place a large piece of baking paper over the dough and turn everything upside down.
- Bring the opposite ends of each piece of twine together and tie them at the top centre of the loaf. They should fit snugly around the loaf, but not too tight, as the bread will expand in the oven. Trim any excess twine with kitchen scissors.
- Dust the top of the loaf with a little more flour, then score the decorative pattern of your choice.
- Carefully lift the baking paper and bread and place inside the preheated Dutch oven. Place the 4 ice cubes between the baking paper and the side of the Dutch oven.4 ice cubes
- Place the lid on the Dutch oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the crust is golden and sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
- When done, remove the bread from the Dutch oven, remove the twine and leave the bread to cool on a wire rack. Place the reserved pumpkin stalk on top of the bread just before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1wedgeCalories: 276kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 8gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 390mgPotassium: 235mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 4008IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg