This Halloween, forget the ghastly severed finger biscuits and cake brain cupcakes and bake a batch of these pumpkin bread rolls instead!
INGREDIENTS:
- 180g milk
- 60g butter, softened
- 2 tsp yeast
- 50g caster sugar
- 50g brown sugar
- 420g pumpkin purée (See Tip)
- 750g plain flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
- 15 or 30 raw cashew halves, for decorating
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180°C / 356°F.
Thermomix Method:
1. Pour milk into TM bowl, add butter and mix for 1 min/50°C or 98.6°F/speed 4.
2. Add sugars, pumpkin purée and salt to the milk mixture and blend for 20 sec /speed 5.
3. Add yeast and mix for 1 min/37°C/speed 3.
4. Add 1 egg and blend for 20 sec/speed 5.
5. Add flour and mix for 6 sec/speed 6, and then knead for 3 mins.
6. Place dough into an oiled bowl and cover with a clean tea towel to proof for half an hour, or until doubled in size.
7. Punch down dough and then turn onto a floured surface and lightly knead. Divide dough into 15 balls (approx 100g each) or 30 smaller balls (approx 50g each).
Roll each ball into a round and make eight evenly spaced incisions around the centre, ensuring the centre remains intact. Using your finger or the end of a spatula or wooden spoon, make an indentation in the centre.
Carefully place onto a lined baking tray and repeat for the remaining dough balls, placing each dough ball approximately 5cm apart on the baking tray.
Position a half cashew into each pumpkin bread roll to resemble a pumpkin stem.
Cover with a clean tea towel and allow to rise for half an hour before putting in the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through.
Eat immediately, or cool on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container.
Tip: To make pumpkin purée in the thermomix, fill the TM bowl with 900g of water, place cut pumpkin in the varoma tray and cook for 20 mins/Varoma/speed 4. Check if soft, and then empty the water from the TM bowl and blend the chopped pumpkin for 30 sec/speed 8, or until smooth.
Conventional Method:
1. Pour lukewarm milk into a mixing bowl, add butter and stir to melt.
2. Add sugars, pumpkin puree, and salt to the milk mixture and combine well.
3. Add yeast to pumpkin mixture mixture and stir through until well combined.
4. Add 1 egg and mix well.
5. Gradually add flour and mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.
6. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes, or until the dough isn’t so sticky.
7. Place dough into an oiled bowl and cover with a clean tea towel to proof for half an hour, or until doubled in size.
8. Punch down dough and then turn onto a floured surface and lightly knead. Divide dough into 15 balls (approx 100g each) or 30 balls (approx 50g each).
9. Roll each ball into a round and make eight evenly spaced incisions around the centre, ensuring the centre remains intact. Using your finger or the end of a spatula or wooden spoon, make an indentation in the centre.
10. Carefully place onto a lined baking tray and repeat for the remaining dough balls, placing each dough ball approximately 5cm apart on the baking tray.
11. Position a half cashew into each pumpkin bread roll to resemble a pumpkin stem.
12. Cover with a clean tea towel and allow to rise for half an hour before putting into the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through.
Eat immediately, or cool on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container.
About the Author: anita@thenextrushmagazine.com
Anita Munoz is a passionate home cook and foodie. You can keep up with her work on Instagram by clicking on the links below.
