Puffy, yeasted brioche dough shaped like a pumpkin and flavored with pureed pumpkin. This is the perfect centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table that also works well as a side dish.
If you're intimidated and anxious about baking bread, start with this recipe and stop there. Not only is it really easy to create, but it tastes great and looks beautiful. Although I prefer to bake the dough in the shape of a huge pumpkin, you might equally well bake it in a loaf pan to create a pumpkin sandwich bread.
What is brioche bread?
French bread made with yeast and minimal sweetening is called brioche bread. When baked, the bread's texture becomes extremely delicate and fluffy due to the addition of eggs, butter, and milk. The exterior is a rich golden hue from a traditional egg wash. They are typically found in the form of little rolls, a loaf, or a braid.
What is Pumpkin brioche bread?
Create a traditional brioche and add pureed pumpkin to the dough to give it a pumpkin flavor. The puree also naturally imparts a gorgeous orange color. Since pumpkin and maple are delectable companions, I also appreciate the addition of maple syrup to the dough.
What ingredients do you need to make this Pumpkin brioche bread?
Dry ingredients
We need flour, sugar, yeast, and salt to make this dough. I've used all-purpose flour, but bread flour also functions well and bakes up deliciously chewy.
Wet ingredients
We require melted butter, eggs, pureed pumpkin, milk, and maple syrup. Any milk will do, and yogurt (dairy-free if you want to keep this dish vegan) can be used in place of the eggs. The flavor of the maple syrup goes well with the pureed pumpkin, but you may also use honey or sugar in its place. You can follow my recipe for homemade pumpkin puree, or you can use store-bought puree. You can use olive oil or any other oil of your choice in place of butter.
What tools are required to prepare this pumpkin brioche bread?
I used my hands and a big mixing basin to combine the dough. A stand mixer fitted with a dough hook will complete the task far more quickly. I used a flat baking sheet tray and the oven to create this bread. I've fashioned it into a pumpkin using baker's twine. We also need a brush since I prefer to brush the dough with egg wash before baking.How to make this Pumpkin brioche bread?
Combine the sugar, yeast, and warm milk in a sizable mixing bowl. After stirring and setting aside, give this ten minutes to foam. When foamy, whisk in the melted butter, pureed pumpkin, maple syrup, and egg. To get a shaggy dough, add the flour and salt and stir. Transfer the contents of the bowl to a kitchen counter and start kneading using your hands. Keep mixing; it will come together even though it will be sticky. If it's too sticky, you can add up to 1/4 cup of extra flour. This stage can also be completed in a stand mixer; the time required will be reduced by half.
Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to the large mixing bowl once it has come together. To prevent sticking, add a small amount of oil or melted butter to the bowl, cover, and let it rest for an hour or until it has doubled in size. Take off the lid, give it a gentle tap with your hands, form it into a ball, transfer it to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, secure it with baker's twine, cover, and let it rest for half an hour. Preheat the oven to 180°C in the interim. After the dough has risen, bake it for 30 minutes after brushing it with egg. When you knock on the bread and it sounds hollow, you will know it's done. Slice the baker's twine, let it cool, and then serve.
How to serve this Pumpkin brioche bread?
How to store this Pumpkin brioche bread?
For three days, the leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator in ziplock bags. I suggest freezing the bread if you plan to keep it for a longer period of time. It has a one-month shelf life. When ready to serve, thaw it in the microwave for 20 seconds, or until just warmed through.