Pumpkin Brioche

Pumpkin, butter, pumpkin spice... It may seem like a fall recipe, but I don't think there's any time of year that this won't caress the tastebuds.

Source: The Bread Bible: 300 Favorite Recipes by Beth Hensperger

Ingredients:
3 tbsp warm water (105-115ºF)
1 tbsp dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
1 cup pumpkin purée
3 3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces


Rising time: 4.5 hours plus overnight refrigeration
Baking time: 15-17 minutes

Instructions:
1. Pour the warm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the surface of the water. Stir to dissolve until frothy, about 10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl or Kitchen-Aid mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the pumpkin, 1 cup of the flour, brown sugar, salt, and spices. Add the yeast mixture and beat until smooth.

3. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Slowly add 2 more cups of flour. Then add the butter a few pieces at a time, beating until well combined. Add the remaining 3/4 cups of flour and beat until creamy. The dough will be soft, sticky and resemble batter.

4. Scrape the dough into a greased container. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled or tripled in bulk, about 3 hours. 

5. Gently deflate the dough and refrigerate overnight.

6. Upon removing from the refrigerator, deflate the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured countertop. Grease three 1/2-inch fluted brioche tins or two, dozen muffin tins. Divide the dough into three equal pieces, then divide each third into five equal portions. Form each piece into a ball and place into a brioche tin or muffin cup. Use floured kitchen shears to snip a 1/2-inch deep X into the top of each piece of dough. Let rise at room temperature for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.

7. Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Arrange the rack so it is in the middle of the oven. Put the brioche tins or muffin tin in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350ºF and bake 5-7 minutes longer, or until buns are golden and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to cooling racks and allow to cool before serving.

Results:

I expected a little more flavor out of these, but they do taste good heated up with a dollop of butter. If I make again, I would add some additional spice to give it more flavor.