Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

When I became ‘sourdough-crazy’, our kitchen changed into a sort of alchemist’s laboratory. Things might have even gone too far because frankly, there is probably not a single day when I don’t walk around covered in flour, my clothes stained and sticky from the starter and my mind wondering which formula is the right one for such and such sourdough. Every day brings me a new baking experience and the more familiar I have become with the sourdough, the more I dare to venture.

After Thanksgiving Day, a few weeks ago, when I had a leftover of a beautiful homemade pumpkin puree in my fridge and I was walking around it, wondering what use I can make of it, a spontaneous idea crossed my mind and I impulsively poured the puree into my sourdough mixture. The dough turned curiously orange straight away and I was immediately regretting my action and preparing myself for a waste of food and disappointment. I left the dough to grow in the fridge overnight and in the morning I baked the bread not giving it too much of a chance. But taken from the oven, the loaf looked quite gorgeous, beautifully swollen, tinted with warm amber and it had the smell of a good sourdough – intoxicating, happy, ancient, intrinsic. I couldn’t wait to taste it but I chose to remain skeptical during the cooling period to prepare myself for the still possible disenchantment. I was wondering whether the bread would be too sweet or the pumpkin taste would prevail over the good sourdough taste. Yet, the cut through the loaf which showed striking yellow inside, also revealed lovely bubbles along with a soft and feather-light structure. The crust was superbly crunchy. And finally, the taste wasn’t a disappointment in any way. Not only did the pumpkin addition not disturb or interfere with the genuine sourdough taste, it bestowed it softness, moisture and a curious undertone.

The bread stole our hearts (and stomachs) quickly and my glass dose containing the glossy orange beauty became an always-present stock, ready to be used again and again for the astounding pumpkin sourdough.

Pumpkin also brings more health benefits to the sourdough. It’s rich in fiber but low in calories. The brilliant orange colour comes from beta-carotene that converts to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A along with other antioxidants in the fruit ensures our good vision, improves our immunity and makes our skin look younger, protecting it from sun damage.

Ingredients

• 140g active starter
• 600 g white bread flour spelt or wheat or mixture of both)
• 200 g pumpkin puree (Homemade puree: cut the pumpkin including the skin in little pieces and simmer in a pot on a lower heat. Add little water if it starts sticking to the bottom.  When soft, blend in a puree.)
• about 300 g tepid water
• 16g salt

Method

1. Mix the activated starter, flour, puree and 250g water and let it rest for half an hour to an hour. This is called autolysis, a process when flour enzymes are activated and start breaking gluten structures before adding the salt. Autolysis improves bread structure and taste.
2. After that, incorporate salt dissolved in 50 g of water. Knead the dough either in a stand mixer on the slowest speed until smooth or with a wooden spoon for about 10 minutes. In case you are using the old technique, start with the wooden spoon at the most distant side of the bowl, pull under the dough firmly towards yourself 10 to 12 times. Then move the bowl 90 degrees counter clockwise, and repeat this kneading process. Turn the bowl again and so on for the required time until the dough is smooth and silky.After 10 minutes of hard work, the dough is silky and smooth.
3. Leave the dough in the bowl, let it rest covered with plastic or a wet towel for 45 minutes and then do stretch and fold procedure; that will improve your bread inside structure, making it fluffier, with more holes inside. Wet your hand and lay it underneath the dough. Bring the dough up, stretching it as much as it goes, then fold the dough over the top.  Turn the bowl by 90° and proceed the same way, do 4 S&F in total. Finally, flip the dough upside down. Do S&F 3 times during the bulk proof, every 45 minutes.
   

   

   

   

   

4. After the last S&F put the bowl in the fridge and leave it there over night, covered with plastic or a wet towel.

   

5. Next morning, remove the bowl from the fridge, take the dough out of the bowl and preshape it.

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7. Let it rest for half an hour and then shape it and place the dough in the basket with the smooth upper part down.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

8. When you put the dough in the basket, heat up the oven up to 250°C (482°F). Place a metal sheet or a baking stone on the middle rack and a container with water on the bottom of the oven.

   

   

9. After about one hour, open the oven door and flip the loaf from the basket over onto the sheet. If you have the baking stone, transfer the loaf onto it with a shovel.

   

   

   Score the bread before you put it in the oven with a sharp knife. Close the oven door and wait (without opening!) for 15 minutes. Then open the door quickly to let the moisture out, remove the water container and lower the temperature to 220°C (428°F). Close the door and let the bread bake for another aproximatelly 45 minutes. Knock on the crust and if you hear a bell-like sound, you can remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool on a metal rack.