There is nothing better than the smell of freshly baked bread at home, it takes me back to my childhood where we had this huge bread making machine that would fill the house with this gorgeous smell. Rather embarrassingly up until a few years ago I was so used to using a machine that I didn’t think there was any other way to bake bread. Of course, since i’ve been making my own bread,  I realise that sounds incredibly silly! I now can’t think of anything better than kneading my own dough and creating a delicious and warm loaf of goodness.

I started with the pumpkin seed because I was making lentil soup and wanted some simple warm bread to go with it – plain is just a little boring and the pumpkin seeds add that certain je ne sais quoi without being overbearing on taste, so it worked perfectly. Plus let’s be honest, a slice of any kind of warm bread with marmite or home-made jam is just heavenly so it was the perfect excuse to whip up a loaf. And yes, I am indeed a marmite lover, all the way through.

Apart from the obvious benefits of taste, Pumpkin seeds also rate highly on the healthy scale. Just one quarter-cup gives nearly half the recommended daily amount of Magnesium which is essential for enzyme function, improving sleep, bone strength and more.  They also contain high amounts of  Zinc as well as the Omega-3 oils. It’s a sublime match for this freshly baked bread. Mmm.

It’s delicious dipped in a lovely warming soup.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Pumpkin Seed Bread

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

1 hour 30 mins

Total time

1 hour 50 mins

 

Author: Lean Living Girl

Serves: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 500g mixed grain malthouse bread flour
• 7g fast-action dried yeast
• Large pinch of salt
• 350ml lukewarm water
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 tsp coconut oil

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220℃
2. With a knife or blender, 'chop up' half your pumpkin seeds so they are broken into smaller pieces. Combine the flour, yeast, chopped pumpkin seeds and salt in a bowl, making a well in the middle.
3. Slowly add the water, mixing the mixture until combined. You are aiming for a cushion like texture so it may not be necessary to use all the water.
4. Flour your surface (and hands!) and knead the dough for 10 mins or until smooth and it's holding it's shape. Whilst nearing end of kneading, sprinkle in and over the remaining pumpkin seeds (whole) so they are all around and on top of the dough.
5. Place the dough in a new bowl and cover with cling film - leaving to rise until doubled in size.
6. Once the dough has risen, flip the bowl and release the dough back onto the surface.
7. Lightly grease your loaf tin with coconut oil and shape the dough - place it in.
8. Cover the loaf and let it sit for 15 minutes, then pop into the oven on the middle shelf.
9. Bake the bread for 15 mins, then reduce the heat to 180℃ and continue to bake for 30 mins until the top begins to brown and the middle is no longer wet.
10. You can enjoy straight away or freeze the bread for another time. Tip: slice before you freeze!

3.3.3077