Pumpkin Bread with Cherries

Like every year, Halloween is just around the corner and when others are carving their pumpkins, it is time for us to bake our bread for the party. The processing is a bit complex and may not be suitable for everyday baking, but you will be rewarded with a really cool bread.

(Recipe idea from the Thermomix Bread Baking Book)

Recipe

For 2 Pumpkin breads, each weighing about 612g

Wheat sourdough:

  • 150g Water
  • 150g Wheat flour Type 700 or 550
  •    15g Starter

Maturity time: 12 hours   Dough temperature: 25-27°C

Prepare in advance

  • 400g Water
  •  180g Pumpkin flesh cut into pieces

Put water in a saucepan and cook the pumpkin pieces until soft. Then drain the water and finely puree the cooked pumpkin pieces. Pour the pumpkin puree into a bowl and let it cool completely first at room temperature, then in the refrigerator.

Soaker

  •  50g Cherries, dried, or 50g cranberries, dried
  •  30g Water to soak

Soaking time:  3-4 hours

Main dough

  • 400g Wheat flour Type 550 or 700 and little more for working
  • 100g Rye flour Type 1150 or 960
  •  315g Mature wheat sourdough
  • 200g Pureed pumpkin
  • 170g Water
  •      5g Fresh yeast
  •   20g Honey
  •    15g Salt

Production

  • Knead all ingredients into a smooth dough and then slowly knead in the soaker with the cherries. I recommend reducing the amount of water a little at the beginning and only adding more when necessary (the pumpkin puree can have different consistencies!)
  • After kneading, let the dough mature in an oiled tub for 90 minutes (fold after 30/60 minutes).

Working Up

  • Turn the dough out onto the floured work surface, cut off 40 g of dough for the pumpkin stalks using a dough card and set aside. Divide the remaining dough into 2 equal pieces (approx. 600 g each). Grasp the opposite edges of a piece of dough with both hands, stretch a little and fold in towards the middle. Grasp the other two opposite edges of the dough, stretch it a little and fold it towards the middle like an envelope.
  • Turn the dough over, shape it into a round shape, flour a little and let relax for 15 minutes. Do the same with the other piece of dough. 
  • Then cut out 2 circles (Ø approx. 30 cm) from baking paper, cut 8 approx. 50 cm long cords from kitchen thread and dip in oil. Tie 4 strings together with a knot in the middle and place them in a star shape on the baking paper.
  • Place a ball of dough on each.
  • Pass the strings over the dough balls at regular intervals and tie them loosely on the top so that the dough can still rise.
  • Form 2 teardrop-shaped pumpkin stalks from the dough that has been set aside, poke a hole in the dough balls and place the stalks between the strings. Cover and let the bread rest for about 1 hour at room temperature.
  • The pumpkin breads are baked at 250 ° C reduced to 220 ° C with strong steam.
  • Bake time of about 40-45 minutes.

TIP:

  • Which Pumpkin? Hokkaido pumpkin gives a nice coloring and can be used with the peel. Butternut or other pumpkins must be peeled before steaming.
  • Preserving pumpkin puree: The pumpkin puree can also be prepared in advance during the pumpkin season. Put the hot puree in clean screw-top jars and close them. Put a drip pan or large casserole dish with water in the oven. Place the glasses in the drip pan, one third of them should be in the water. Heat the filled jars at 160 ° C for 40 minutes.