Pumpkin Bread Rolls

This month challenge in we knead to bake #33 was Spiced Pumpkin Bread Rolls to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Thanks to Aparna for introducing this pumpkin shaped bread roll, which attracted not only the kids, also the adults.

Thanksgiving is celebrated in US, to thank for the fruits of the previous harvest. Grilled Turkey and pumpkin pie are traditional served food of the day. 

But, for a change instead of pumpkin pie, Spiced Pumpkin Bread Rolls on our lunch! This recipe adapted from Beyond Kimchee. 

Ingredients-       1/3 cup of warm milk     ;    2 tbsp honey   ;   2 tsp instant yeast      ;        1/2  cup of pureed pumpkin (unsweetened)        ;       40 gms butter melted   ;        1 tsp salt       ;     1 ¼ cup of whole wheat flour      ;     1 ¼ cup all purpose flour   ;      1 tsp spices (dry ginger + cardamom+cinnamon)      ;        6 pieces cashews (for stem)

To make pumpkin purée, peel the pumpkin and clean out the middle, then cut into small cubes and steam cook till soft. Drain the liquid. Once cooled, blend it to a fine paste.

Pour the warm milk into a big bowl. Add the honey and yeast and mix well and keep aside.

 

In a mixing bowl, add the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, salt and the spice powders into the bowl and mix them well.  Finally add the yeast mixture and Melted butter and the pumpkin purée.

Knead until you have smooth and elastic dough that will be somewhat sticky. Add a little flour or milk depends on the consistency of dough.

Turn the dough out to a wooden board dusted with a little flour and knead by hand for a minute. Shape it into a ball and place it in a well-oiled bowl, turning it around to coat it well. Cover with damp cloth; let the dough rise for about an hour or so, until double in volume.

Deflate the risen dough gently to remove air pockets and divide it into about 6 rolls equal sized portions. Shape each portion into a ball. Flatten each ball slightly and using a sharp knife or a pair of scissors make 8 cuts at equal distance from each other, from the edge of the ball towards the center but leaving the center uncut – like a flower.

Place the dough “flowers” 2” apart on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover again for the second rise for about 45 minutes. Use your fore finger or the round end of a wooden spoon (dip it in a little oil or flour so the dough doesn’t stick to it) and poke a deep hole in the center of each “flower” for the cashew as “stem” (after bake)

Brush them with milk and transfer the tray into 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Take them out of the oven and brush the rolls with melted butter and allow them to cool. As a final touch, insert the cashew in the middle as pumpkin stem.

Nutty whole wheat bread

It’s not just an Another Bread !  Though, I posted few bread(s) earlier, it’s quite different from those.

The difference is not in the making process. It’s in the ingredients. As the name suggests, it’s full of Seeds and Nuts. Which results in, enriched vitamins, minerals, and Good fats (Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats).

Here, we use Buttermilk instead of Milk. This also changes the taste of the bread. So, the combination of Flour, seeds, Honey and Buttermilk, gives a totally different taste. Hence, this Bread stay away from the “other” bread(s).

The Ingredients required are   ¾ Cup of Butter milk (Leban)    ;   ¾ cup of Bread flour    ;   1 ½ cups of Whole wheat flour   ;  ½ cup of mixed nuts (sunflower seed, pumpkin seed, flax seed, walnut)     ;   ½ tsp Salt    ;   1 tsp Honey     ;   1 tsp Butter   ;  2 tsp Yeast  ;  ;  3-4 tsp of olive oil 

Making Process,  heat the butter milk for 80° to 90°c  add salt, honey ,butter, and yeast . Keep aside for about 5 minutes till the yeast mixture bubbles up.

Now slowly add  1/4 cup bread flour, then 1 cup  of wheat flour into yeast mixture and knead till the dough is soft, smooth and elastic/ pliable. (it shouldn’t be sticky).  You may add a little extra flour, if the dough is sticky. But, only little as is necessary.

Now, time to add the Key Ingredient, The Nuts. Add them and mix well with the dough, Shape it into a ball and coat liberally with Olive oil and keep it in the bowl. Do not forget to cover the bowl with damp cloth. Leave it for an hour or till the dough raise to almost double in volume.

Dust the work surface with flour. Deflate the dough; shape it into a loaf shape and place it in the grease the loaf tin. Cover the loaf tin again with damp cloth and allow the dough to rise for an hour.

Bake at 180ºC (350F) for about 30 to 40 minutes (in a pre-heated Oven) or until it is done.

Using the bread Slicer, slice in the desired thickness. Trust me; you can eat it just like that, without Jam or butter! – A COMPLETE, HEALTHIER break fast

Granola (Muesli) Bar

A Breakfast or Snack that is made of  rolled oats with dried fruits, nuts and honey or brown sugar is called a Granola Bar in US and Muesli Bar in rest of the world.

Granola / Muesli bar is favorite snack for, those who do sports, camping, hiking, because of its HIGH Calorie offering.

Granola / Muesli bar can be consumed with yogurt and fruits for a formal breakfast.

It’s my son’s favorite snack during the swimming meets. – To ensure he gets high calorie, without filling the stomach.

Believe me, the most simple recipe, I ever came across is Granola / Muesli bar.  Since, we have lots of nuts / seeds in a Granola / Muesli bar, it may take little longer to digest. Hence, we add flax seeds to fasten the digestion.

Here the ingredients list :  1/2 cup of Chopped Almond    ;    1  cup  of Oats    ;      1/4   cup of  Sunflower seed      ;      1/4 cup of  Pumpkin seed       ;     1/4  cup of Walnuts      ;       1/4 cup of  peanuts   ;    1/4 cup of  flax seed       ;      1/4 cup of  raisins      ;      1/3  to  1/2 cup  of  honey (up to you)     ;    1/2 cup of brown sugar     ;   1 egg, beaten (Optional)     ;    2/3 cup  of butter          ;      1 teaspoon of  Vanilla

Just combine almond, Oats, sunflower seed, Pumpkin seed, Walnuts, Peanuts, Flax seed, Raisins and honey. 

Add brown sugar, egg (if you like), melted butter with the nuts/seeds mixture and blend well.

Transfer the mixture to a pre-greased baking pan and press firmly, so that its sets well.

Transfer the pan into a pre-heated oven and bake at 350°F / 180°C for about 20 minutes. 

Allow it to cool and slice them into desired shape and size. Store it in an airtight container.