Emma Poklop

The pumpkin bread garnered positive feedback: “It has a beautiful, sentimental cinnamon smell,” said senior Sidney Tindell.

Recipe from The Urban Umbrella:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 fresh yeast packet
• 2 tsp Pumpkin Spice
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 2 cups water
• olive oil
• Butchers Twine
• Ceramic pot with lid (or cast iron pan with a lid)

Instructions

1. 1. In a large mixing bowl combine flour with salt, pumpkin spice and cinnamon. Mix it together with a spoon.
   2. In a separate small bowl, dissolve the yeast packet in 1/2 cup of water. Allow it to activate for a few minutes.
   3. Once the yeast looks like it’s beginning to foam, add it into the flour mixture along with one cup of water.
   4. Begin mixing the ingredients together. The mixture will quickly form a sticky dough and at this point, you may find you need to add slightly more water in order to incorporate all the flour together. It can be helpful to add the final 1/2 cup of flour as you knead.
   5. At a certain point, you will need to begin kneading your dough on a countertop rather than in the bowl. You will first want to spread a bit of flour onto the counter so that the dough doesn’t stick. Then, begin kneading the dough until the flour is completely mixed into the dough.
   6. In a large bowl, pour some olive oil into the bottom and then place your dough over top. Pour a bit of olive oil over the top of the dough, then cover the bowl with a cloth. Allow it to rest for two to three hours at room temperature. It will triple in size during this time.
   7. After two to three hours, you will shape your dough. Fold the dough into a ball-like shape and then begin wrapping and tying butchers twine around the dough in a placement that would replicate the curves of a pumpkin. You do not want to tie these too tightly as the dough will expand more as it bakes.
   8. Once you have achieved the pumpkin shape, add some flour onto a clean cloth and place the bread on that cloth. Then fold the cloth over the top of the dough and keep covered for an additional 30 minutes.
   9. Now, preheat the oven to 470 degrees Fahrenheit.
   10. Once the oven has preheated, place your dough into your ceramic pot and cover with the lid. Place your pot into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
   11. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and place the pot back into the oven for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until the bread has a golden brown appearance.
   12. Allow bread to cool before cutting.