Pumpkin Sandwich Bread

Looking forward to fall?  Try making this pumpkin bread.  This is not the uber sweet pumpkin bread topped with cream cheese frosting you see around Thanksgiving (although I have no objections to that kind!).  Rather it is light and mild, with just a touch of pumpkin flavor--perfect with just a little butter or for a turkey sandwich.  You'll probably see me top it with turkey and apple butter in the near future!  I didn't take pictures until the end because the process was messy.  I was covered in flour and pumpkin by the end--But it was worth it.

What you'll need:

2 bread loaf pans

1/2 cup warm water
2 packages active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm whole milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 1/2-7 1/2 cups (approximately) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, stir yeast into water and gently whisk. Add milk, eggs, pumpkin, oil, 4 cups flour, brown sugar, salt, ginger and cinnamon to yeast mixture. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes.  Or, wrestle with the dough until you get frustrated and debate buying a hand mixer on amazon.

Gradually add remaining flour, a little at a time, until you have a dough stiff enough to knead.  Or, when the mass becomes manageable enough to take it out of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead, adding flour as necessary, until you have a smooth, elastic dough.  This took me 7 1/2 cups of flour in total!  When you finally get this beast under control, put the dough into an oiled bowl. Turn once to coat entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Take the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface.  Any area that is not oiled will get covered in pumpkin dough and will.not.come.off.  So lightly oil everything. Divide the dough in half and place in 2 loaf pans. Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.  FINALLY bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 30 minutes. Immediately remove bread pans and cool on a wire rack to prevent crust from becoming soggy. For a shiny crust, brush tops of bread or rolls lightly with vegetable oil. 

 

Enjoy while warm!