Raisin Pumpkin Twist

Pumpkin Raisin Twist toasted and served with scrambled eggs drizzled with
hot sauce,  cherry tomatoes, avocado, and chicken sausage.

Makes 1 loaf (16 servings)

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Nov/1996

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

If you've got leftover canned pumpkin from Thanksgiving, why not make this lovely bread?  It tastes fabulous with a spot of hot tea.  This bread is especially easy to make if you've got a dough hook.  Just let your mixer do the kneading.

¾ cup canned pumpkin

2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel

1/3 cup orange juice

3 Tablespoons sugar

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large egg

3 cups all-purpose flour (divided)

1 package active dry yeast

1½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

¾ teaspoon Kosher salt

¾ cup raisins

1 Tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

In a large mixing bowl combine 1½ cups flour, yeast, and pumpkin pie spice.  In a saucepan heat and stir orange juice, sugar, butter and salt until warm (120° to 130° F) and the butter is almost melted.  Add the warm mixture to the flour mixture; add the egg and pumpkin.  Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping the bowl constantly.  Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.  Stir in orange peel and raisins.  Using a spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flower as you can, from 1¼ to 1¾ cups.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead in the remaining flour to make moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total.)  Shape into a ball.  Place in a greased bowl; turning once to grease surface.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 30 minutes.) 

Punch dough down.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.  Lightly grease a baking sheet (or use parchment paper.)  Set aside.  Shape each portion into a thick rope about 16 inches long.

On the baking sheet, line up the ropes, 1 inch apart. Starting in the middle, braid by bringing the left rope underneath the center rope; lay it down. Then bring the right rope under the new center rope; lay it down. Repeat braiding to the end. On the other end, braid by bringing the outside ropes alternately over the center to the center.  Braid the ropes loosely so the bread has room to expand.  Press the rope ends together to seal.  Cover and let rise until nearly double (about 30 minutes.)

Brush milk onto the loaf.  Sprinkle with poppy seeds.  Bake in a 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.  If necessary, cover loosely with foil in the last 10 to 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning. Cool on a wire rack. 

Nutritional Information Per Serving:  142 calories; 3 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat); 13 mg. cholesterol; 131 mg. sodium; 26 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 3 grams protein