pumpkin craisin bread

A delectably moist bread, the final installment in the pure pumpkin puree recipe series is a great addition to your Thanksgiving Day dinner table. It is also totally scrumptious toasted and slattered with butter.

Yield: One large loaf
3,550 calories per loaf
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 240 minutes

ingredients

4¾ cups high gluten flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 cup brown sugar

1½ teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon yeast

1 cup pure pumpkin puree

2 large eggs

3/4 cup lukewarm  water

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup craisins

preparation

1. In a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup, combine the lukewarm water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. In your stand mixer bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, yeast mixture, and knead on 2 until a dough forms.  The dough may be a little sticky, but if it seems too wet you may need to add a little more flour.

3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to double in bulk, about 2 hours.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a log.

5. Place the log into a parchment lined loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside until its very puffy, about 1 hour.

6. With about 30 minutes remaining in the final proof, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

7. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes.  

Original recipe found here.

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

Continuing in the pure pumpkin puree series, I bring you this cake cookie.  While they aren't frosted, I think these cookies give the Starbucks pumpkin scone a run for its money.

Yield: 24 cookies
160 calories per cookie
Active time: 5 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

ingredients

1 cup pure pumpkin puree

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 dark chocolate bar, crushed

preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Remove the chocolate bar from the wrapper, place into a Ziplock bag, and crush in small pieces. I like use my rolling pin, although my downstairs neighbors may see it differently. Why use a chocolate bar? No special reason, other than I thought dark chocolate would pair nicely with the savory pumpkin rather than milk chocolate. I've also found it more cost effective to buy higher quality chocolate bars for single use baking rather than overpriced bags of chips.

3. In your stand mixer bowl, combine all the ingredients.

4. With the paddle attached, knead  on a speed of 4 until very well combined.

5. Drop by spoonful onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.

6. Bake until golden brown and firm, about 12 minutes.

Original recipe found here.

pumpkin oatmeal bundt

Fall has finally arrived. Not a huge fan of pumpkin pie, this cake is the first of three recipes that use the filling in different (and delicious) ways.

Yield: One bundt cake
140 calories per slice, if cut into 12 slices
Active time: 5 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon all-spice

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground clove

1¼ cups pure pumpkin puree

1/2 cup rice milk

2 eggs

1/4 cup agave nectar

3/4 cup oats

preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line your bundt pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl,  combine all the ingredients and stir until well blended.

3. Scoop the batter into the bundt pan. (You'll want to me sure to trim the ends of the parchment paper before putting the pan in the oven.)

4. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bundt comes out clean, about 40 minutes, turning the bundt pan 180 degrees after about 20 minutes.

5. Turn the bundt out onto a wire rack, slowly peeling back the parchment paper, to cool. See "roasted nectarine greek yogurt chocolate cake" for tips on turning out the bundt.

Original recipe found here.