There is something about this time of year when I start to turn inward to my home. I find myself baking, cleaning, decorating, and spending more time indoors. I also crave more warming, comforting meals and this recipe is no exception! This pumpkin sourdough bread is the epitome of autumnal flavors and colors. Yes, it looks like a pumpkin and that is extremely charming, but it is also just a delicious loaf of sourdough! Every season I love to bring different flavors into my baking routine which keeps me from getting into a baking rut. Eating foods that are only in season right now also helps me enjoy autumn and connect with the natural world around me.
Adding pumpkin to bread is a great way to sneak in a lot of nutrition and flavor. Here are a few ways I like to enjoy this fall favorite:
- Sandwiches
- Toast
- With savory soups and stews
- Covered in nut butter
- And as french toast
Additionally, the flavor of this loaf isn’t too sweet or spiced which lends it a lot of versatility. For these photographs, I shaped the sourdough like a pumpkin to make it even more festive, but that is totally optional. If you like to keep things simple, you can shape this loaf as you would any regular sourdough loaf.
A few words on Sourdough Starter
There is so much to say about sourdough starter, that I wrote an entire blog about it last year. Feel free to read that if you want an in-depth read on all things starter. That being said, you will want your starter to be active and bubbly before beginning this bake. There is no one right way to achieve this so it is important to know your starter and how long it takes to rise and fall.
To make this sourdough bread, you will need:
warm water
Rye sourdough starter
kosher salt (or whatever salt you have!)
Other supplies:
Bread lame
~to score your dough. This is the one I use and love!
Bread Banneton
~for bulk fermenting your dough
A Baker with Lid
~I love using my Le Cruset or my clay Baker from Breadtopia. Be sure to use an oven-safe, heavy bottom pot with a lid.
Beeswax Wrap
I love to use beeswax wrap to cover my bread while fermenting
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Pumpkin Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 450 g flour
- 250 g water
- 100 g starter
- 200 g pumpkin puree
- 20 g raw unprocessed honey unprocessed honey
- 10 g salt
Instructions
The Day before Baking:
- Measure and sift flour into a large bowl
- Measure and add starter and water into a separate bowl and mix until starter mostly dissolves into water
- Add honey and pumpkin puree and mix
- Pour the mixture into the large flour bowl and mix for about 20 seconds
- When the flour is mostly incorporated with the water, cover and rest for 30 minutes (this is the autolyse)
- Add salt to the dough and use your hands to incorporate all the ingredients by kneading. To keep dough from sticking, keep your hands wet when kneading, stretching, and folding.
- Cover your dough with a moist towel, clean shower cap, or beeswax wrap
- For the next hour, stretch and fold your dough every 15 minutes
- For the floowing two hours, stretch and fold your dough every 30 minutes
- After the stretch and folds are done, cover and allow to bulk ferment for 4 hours or until doubled in size
- Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and pre-shape into 1 medium loaf (or two small ones) Allow to rest for 15-20 minutes
- Flour and shape loaf and transfer into a floured banneton or colander lined with a floured tea towel
- Cover and place in the fridge for 8-10 hours
- Bake Day
- Place your baker and lid in a cold oven
- Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F for about 30 minutes
- When you are ready to bake, gently turn your dough out, seam side down, onto baking paper
- Score your dough as you like and using the baking paper, lift the dough into the preheated baker and cover with the lid. Place inside the oven
- Bake covered loaf in the oven for 25 minutes
- Remove lids after 25 minutes, turn your oven down to 475 and allow to bake for another 10 minutes or until the loaves reach the color you like. I like to strive for a dark caramel brown but try not to burn the ears of the loaf!
- Pull out your loaf once it reachs your desired color and allow to cool for at least 1-2 hours before slicing
And there you have pumpkin sourdough bread! What questions do you have? any ideas for future recipes? I would love to hear from you in the comments! I will be posting more seasonal sourdough recipes very soon. Happy Baking!
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