Impress Your Friends with a Perfect Sourdough Pumpkin Bread | Beautiful Pumpkin Loaf Recipe

sourdough starter

🥗Healthier: whole wheat starter

💰Cheaper: store-bought yeast

Whole wheat starter adds fiber and nutrients.

pumpkin puree

🥗Healthier: butternut squash puree

💰Cheaper: canned pumpkin

Canned pumpkin is often more affordable and convenient.

brown sugar

🥗Healthier: coconut sugar

💰Cheaper: white sugar

Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index.

walnuts

🥗Healthier: pecans

💰Cheaper: sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds are nut-free and more affordable.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with the fan off.

Dice the pumpkin and place it on a tray covered with tin foil to roast.

Roast the pumpkin for around 1 hour until completely soft and mushy.

Mash the roasted pumpkin and cover it, then refrigerate to cool down completely.

Prepare a leaven by mixing 20% of the total flour with water and sourdough starter, and let it ferment for 12-16 hours until it triples in volume.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled pumpkin and salt, mixing well to dissolve the salt.

Add the leaven to the pumpkin mixture and mix until no dry flour remains.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes until smooth and slightly sticky.

Place the dough in a bowl at a temperature of 24-25°C (75-77°F) and cover it, allowing it to proof for 2.5 to 3 hours until visibly puffed up.

Perform a fold halfway through the bulk fermentation to degas the dough and strengthen it.

Dust the dough lightly with flour, release it from the bowl, flatten it out, and fold the edges over to create a tight ball.

Return the dough to the bowl, smooth side up, and cover it for another 2.5 to 3 hours.

After the second proof, perform the final shaping by repeating the flattening and folding process.

Line a bowl with a cloth and place the shaped dough smooth side down, pinching the seam together and covering it with cling film.

Refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours for a cold proof.

One hour before baking, preheat the oven and your cast iron pan to 440°F (220°C) with the fan off.

Prepare butcher's string in a cross pattern on parchment paper.

Place the loaf on the string smooth side up and brush it with egg wash.

Tie the string around the loaf tightly, leaving space for a finger between the loaf and the string, and trim any loose ends.

Insert a cinnamon stick into the loaf as the pumpkin stem.

Remove the preheated pan from the oven, add the loaf, cover with the lid, and bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking for an additional time until done.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens