This bread has the most wonderful colour and flavour. For a change try carrot puree or even golden kumara. I mouli the vegetable puree to ensure it is thoroughly smooth. I have prepared this dough in the food processor and as a result the dough itself is much warmer so it will take less time to prove.

Ingredients

• 1½ tsp active dry yeast or 1½ tblsp Surebake
• ½ cup warm water
• pinch sugar
• 3½ cups high grade white flour
• 50 grams butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup mashed pumpkin*
• 6 leaves fresh basil or 1 tblsp dried
• milk to glaze
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds

Method

Food Processor:

1. Mix the yeast with the water and sugar and set aside for about 3 minutes until the yeast is frothy. (If you are using Surebake, the mixture will be porridge-like).
2. Put the flour, salt, butter and basil into a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until well incorporated.
3. Mix the frothy yeast mixture and pumpkin together and add to the food processor. Process the mixture for 1 minute. The dough mixture should be very soft. Add more water if necessary.
4. Turn the dough out on to a floured board and bring together. Place in a large greased bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap and a towel. Set aside until double in bulk. This will take about 1 hour.
5. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured board and gently deflate the dough. Press the dough out to a rectangle about 2cm thick and then roll up tightly. Place in a well-greased 20 cm x 10 cm loaf tin. Cover with greased plastic wrap and leave in a warm place until the dough reaches the top of the tin. Brush with water and sprinkle over plenty of pumpkin seeds.
6. Bake at 200°C for 35-40 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
7. Cool on a cake rack.

Bread Maker:

1. In a bread maker in order put the water, pumpkin puree, softened butter, pinch sugar, salt, flour and yeast. Cook as for a normal loaf. It's a good idea to keep having a peep at the dough at the initial mixing stage. If you think the dough is too wet, sprinkle over a little flour, if too dry add water a tablespoon at a time.

Cooks Tips

- Surebake is a New Zealand branded product that includes dried yeast granules with dough improvers.

- High grade or bread making flour is best .

- Make the dough into three even balls and place each ball into the greased tin so that you have a traditional old style loaf and you can tear each section apart. To get the portions even-sized weigh the dough and divide and weigh. Do this also when dividing dough up for bread rolls.

*The pumpkin should be dry, not wet, as this will affect the amount of liquid required. Add more liquid if the dough is too dry and more flour if the dough is too wet.