Pumpkin Sourdough Bread - #BreadBakers

I have been neglecting my sourdough starter.There was a time when we'd have weekly dates but weekly dates have turned into a lacklustre monthly appointments where the starter is hardly the star of the show. I kept promising that I'd do better but just never did. I got sucked in by the speed of commercial yeast and it's been hard to tear myself away. As I was flipping through some cookbooks trying to figure out ways other than curry pumpkin to use some leftover pumpkin, I saw a recipe for a pumpkin sourdough loaf. Perfect, really, as the theme of this month's Bread Bakers is fall flavours.

I am always so worried whenever I decide to use my starter. After several years of growing the little fellow, you think I'd have a bit more confidence in its abilities. Alas, I am the nervous kind so I am always crossing fingers and toes and praying that it doesn't decide to repay me for my neglect by failing to rise and leaving me with bricks. Didn't happen this time!

The recipe is adapted from Teresa Greenway's Discovering Sourdough. I used less liquid but more pumpkin plus added some milk powder instead of using milk. The dough is a just a tiny bit sticky but the hydration is lower than the original recipe and so a bit easier to work with.

Pumpkin Sourdough Bread 

Ingredients 
Preferment
96 grams 100% hydration sourdough starter
200 grams water
191 grams flour

Final Dough 
All of preferment
120 grams pureed pumpkin
14 grams oil
14 grams of brown sugar
28 grams milk powder
286 grams flour
10 grams salt

Directions 

 Mix together all the preferment ingredients and let sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours. Refrigerate overnight.

Remove the preferment from the refrigerator and add the pumpkin, oil, brown sugar, and milk powder. Next knead in the flour for about a minute. Let rest for 20 minutes then add the salt. Knead for 4 minutes the let bulk ferment for 4 hours giving the dough a stretch and fold once per hour.

On a floured surface, shape the dough then place into a floured banneton or bowl to proof. Let rise until doubled and puffy (about 1 to 2 hours depending on your starter and the temperature of your room).

While the dough is rising, preheat a dutch oven or cloche in a 450 F oven. You could also use a baking stone and a roasting pan that can be inverted over the stone.

When the dough is ready, slash the dough and place in the dutch oven, cloche or on the baking stone. Sprtiz with water, cover and carefully place in then oven.

Bake for 20 minutes then remove the cover and lower the oven temperature to 400 F. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the dough registers about 200 F.

Notes 
You can add your favourite spices and/or dried fruit during hte shaping period.
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Let's take a look at the other Fall Flavors being shared today Thanks for hosting, Wendy!

• Apple Crumb Quick Bread from Food Lust People Love
• Apple Raisin Bread from A Shaggy Dough Story
• Browned Butter Semolina Pumpkin Bread from Sizzling Tastebuds
• Buttermilk Wheat Bread from Magnolia Days
• Eggless Apple Sage Cheddar Scones from Spill the Spices
• Fall Harvest Bread from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Fig Focaccia from My Catholic Kitchen
• Harvest Grains Bread from Hostess At Heart
• Mr. Potato Bread from What Smells So Good?
• Multigrain Bread With Seeds from Sneha's Recipe
• Pumpkin and Apple Cornmeal Griddle Cakes from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pumpkin Bread from la cocina de Aisha
• Pumpkin Breadfrom Sara's Tasty Buds
• Pumpkin Bread Rolls from SpiceRoots
• Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls from Recipes, Food and Cooking
• Pumpkin Dinner Rolls with Cinnamon Butter from Bread Therapy
• Pumpkin, Poppy & Papaya Seeded Breadsticks from G'Gina's Kitchenette
• Pumpkin Raisin Bagels from Cook's Hideout
• Pumpkin Saffron Yeast Biscuits from The Schizo Chef
• Pumpkin Scones from A Baker's House
• Pumpkin Sourdough Bread from Passion Kneaded
• Schiacciata Con L'uva (Tuscan Style Grape, Olive and Goat Cheese Focaccia) from Ruchik Randhap
• Sesame Seeded Semolina Bread from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Spicy Pumpkin Yeast Bread from Mayuri’s Jikoni

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com