Martin's pumpkin bread

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 600 g Hokkaido pumpkin(s), washed and pitted, with skin
• 250 g margarine
• 100 ml whole milk
• 2 tsp salt
• 200 g sugar
• 1 packet of vanilla sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1,000 g wheat flour type 550
• 1 cube of fresh yeast
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp whole milk
• Margarine for the mold
• Flour for the mold and the worktop

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 4 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 6 hours

An autumnal bread with Hokkaido pumpkin

Cut the pumpkin into approximately 3 cm cubes. Place it in a saucepan with the margarine and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Allow the contents of the pan to cool slightly, then transfer it to a blender and puree until very fine. Return approximately 2/3 of the pumpkin puree to the pan (leave the rest in the blender). Add the milk, salt, and 100 g of flour. Heat on medium heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture reaches a pudding-like consistency. Transfer it to a covered container and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Once the mixture has cooled, add the sugar, vanilla sugar, eggs, and yeast to the remaining pumpkin puree in the blender. Blend briefly until evenly combined. Let stand for another 5-10 minutes, until visible bubbles form from the yeast. Place all ingredients in a food processor and knead with the dough hook for 20 minutes. Let the dough rise in a covered container in a warm place for 30-60 minutes, until it has roughly doubled in size. Grease two 30 cm loaf pans with margarine and dust with flour. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (approx. 250 g each) on a floured work surface. Fold each piece inward several times from the outside to form it into a tight ball. Place four dough balls side by side in a loaf pan, “fair” side up. Mix one egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of milk and brush a thin layer of it over the dough. Let everything rise again in a warm place until it has roughly doubled in size. Bake the pumpkin bread for 30 minutes in an oven preheated to 160°C (convection oven). Remove the bread from the oven, carefully remove it from the pan, and finish baking on the oven rack for another 15 minutes at 140°C (convection oven).