Pumpkin Cinnamon Bread

This is my first attempt at a yeast dough and I have Sunny Side Up in San Diegoto thank for the great recipe and instructions. It was easy to follow and allowed me to succeed in baking (that doesn’t happen much)! We all loved this, and Owen pronounced it “epic.” Not much more I can say. Make this.

For the bread

2 tbsp unsalted butter (in the parlance of the American Heart Association, “acceptable stick margarine.” I used I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. I can, though)

1/2 cup skim milk

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups bread flour

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

2 tbsp unsalted butter (or more margarine)

For the glaze

2 Tbsp unsalted butter (again, I used margarine)

1/8 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tbsp skim milk

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp rum or 1 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown 2 tablespoons of butter, letting it bubble up and turn a dark golden brown but being careful not to allow it burn. (If you are using margarine, as I did, it will not brown. Just melt it.) Remove from the heat and slowly add the milk. Return to stove and heat through.

Pour the milk and butter into the bowl of standing mixer (fitted with a dough hook) and allow to cool slightly (about 100-110 degrees F). Add the yeast and 1/4 cup of sugar and allow to proof (this can take up to 8 minutes, the top will look foamy and the liquid cloudy).

Then add the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If the dough is too moist, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time. (I had to add a lot, but I think that’s a result of using margarine instead of butter.)

Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.

While dough is rising, brown another 2 tablespoons of butter (or melt if margarine). Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well. Set aside. Next, grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flip out onto a clean floured surface and knead with hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a 20×12 inch rectangle.

Evenly sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture and press into dough with palms of the hand. Cut the rectangle into 6 strips. Lay strips on top of each other and cut each strip into 6 even squares. Stack strips vertically into the loaf pan. (I wish I had taken photos of this because it took a while to figure this out – a visual would have helped!)

Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes. Preheat the oven 350 degrees. After rising in the pan, bake for 30-40 minutes or until top is a very deep golden brown.

To prepare the glaze, heat the butter/margarine, milk, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil then immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum and powdered sugar.