Whole Grain Bread with Pumpkin

I've made bread with pumpkin in the past and used it as cinnamon rolls.  But thought I'd try something a little different this year.  I will tell you, once I made my first batch, I was hooked.  The pumpkin makes for a very moist and soft bread.

Bread with Pumpkin
makes 2 loaves


8 cups freshly ground flour (I used Kamut, but Prairie Gold is good too)
1 15 oz. can pumpkin, plus water to make 3 cups
1/4 c. oil
1/2 c. honey (makes a little sweeter dough :-)
1/4 c. gluten
2 Tablespoons yeast
2 1/2 tsp. salt
zest of one orange
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. mace

(or you could just use pumpkin pie spice)

Mix the water and pumpkin together in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat for a minute then check temperature with thermometer.  You want to heat the pumpkin/water mixture to 130 degrees.  Once it has come to temperature, add oil, honey, about 3 cups of the flour and yeast.  Let it sponge for about 15 minutes, then begin to add remaining ingredients in your mixture.  Add only enough flour til the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.  Knead for 5-8 minutes, testing dough with window pane test for gluten development.

Then this is what you get . . . beautiful pumpkin orange dough!











At this point, you could just make 32 rolls.  And they are super scrumptious!  The spices are mild and not overpowering at all.  These will go perfect with your Thanksgiving Turkey.

















Or . . . you could make the most beautiful Huge Cinnamon Roll with a Gooey Caramel Glaze

And here's how you do it:
With half of your pumpkin dough, divide this in half as well.  Roll out 1st half to about 12x16.  Brush with soft butter, then dust with some brown sugar and cinnamon.  Using a pizza cutter, cut this rectangle into 4 strips, then begin rolling.  Once you finish the first strip, take that roll and continue rolling the next strip around the first and so on until all four strips have been rolled into one big roll.

And now . . . do it again with the other half.  In the end you will have 8 16" strips of dough all wrapped up into one big cinnamon roll.


Let it rise for about 20 minutes, then bake for about 30 minutes or until temperature reaches 180-190 degrees.

For a super yummy glaze, in a saucepan melt 1/4 c. butter, then add 1/2 c. brown sugar & 2 Tablespoons heavy cream.  Cook to a boil.  Add chopped pecans if you like.  Then pour on top of warm cinnamon roll.

AND WITH THE 2ND HALF OF YOUR DOUGH,

You could try this Cranberry Cream Cheese Braid

Here's how you do it . . .

In a mixer, blend 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, 1/2 c. sugar & 1 egg

Divide remaining dough into three parts.  Roll out one section into one long rectangle, probably 20" x 4".




Sprinkle dried cranberries down the middle and press into dough.  Then spread about 1/3 of cream cheese mixture down center of dough.  Roll up long ways making one long snake.  Be sure and crimp the edges.





Repeat with the 2 remaining sections of dough.  Then begin to braid the 3 little snakes together.

Once the braid is complete, lay it into a round baking dish or on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until internal temperature is 350 degrees.  Cool for about 1/2 an hour so the filling sets up a bit.

Then . . . ENJOY!