Pumpkin Yeast Bread

 A while back I did a recipe for pumpkin cinnamon rolls. While making French toast for breakfast, I thought how great the toast would taste made with a pumpkin a swirl bread. This recipe can be made two ways, one plain and the other with pumpkin spice swirled in the center.

Ingredients: 

4 1/2 cups of bread flour

2  cups pumpkin  puree

1 tablespoon instant yeast

1 1/2  teaspoons salt 

1/2 teaspoon diastatic malt

4 tablespoons melted butter

4 tablespoons cane syrup

2 tablespoons molasses

Filling: (Optional)

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 tablespoon ginger

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 pinch cloves

2 tablespoons melted butter

In your stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook, combine all the bread ingredients.  Start on the lowest speed until all the ingredients are combined. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Start mixer again and mix about five minutes on speed 3. Dough is ready when it is shiny and pulled away from the sides of the bowl. If too sticky add more flour a teaspoon at a time until sough is ready.

Move to a well-oiled bowl and turn dough until it is completely covered with oil.

Cover and allow to double in size In a warm draft free area. When doubled, punch down and allow to rise again.

On a flour dusted surface, remove dough from bowl and divide into 2 equal pieces.  

This is when you decide how to finish your bread. For simple bread roll dough into a log and place in a well-greased load pan.

For swirl bread, roll dough into a rectangle on you well-floured board. Mix all the filling ingredients except the butter. Brush the dough with the melted butter. 

Evenly distribute the filling covering the rectangle to within a half an inch. Tightly roll the dough pinching the seam together.  Place dough in well-oiled pan seam side down.

Allow both loaves to rise until double in size. 

Place loves in a 350 degree pre-heated oven, on the center rack. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until the bread has a hollow thump when tapped, or a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack for 10 minutes while still in pans. After ten minutes, carefully remove loaves, they will still be very hot. Let loaves cool completely on rack.

Slice and enjoy.  For a special treat either loaf makes excellent french toast.