Roasted Pumpkin + Sesame Rolls

Soft moist rolls full of pumpkin flavour and goodness and a nutty hint of sesame.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup roasted pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup (60 mls) warm milk
• 1 + 1/2 teaspoons active dried yeast
• 1 egg yolk
• 4 tablespoons (60 grams) melted butter
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• extra milk, to mix
• 250 grams strong bread flour
• 250 grams all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 egg white, to help the seeds stick
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds for coating
• 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, for coating

– If using metric cups, reduce volume measures by 1 tablespoon for every cup of dry or liquid ingredients – 

Equipment:

• Either: standing mixer and food processor
• Or: bowls, sieve
• And: rimmed baking sheet and a cookie sheet

Directions:

First roast some pumpkin. Peel and cut any pumpkin you have. Preferably a variety that purees well. Drizzle it with olive oil but don’t season it. Bread needs specific amounts of salt and we don’t want to overdo it.

Into the oven at 180C (350F). until it is very soft and getting brown. It’s all good extra flavour. Either blend in a food processor or force the pumpkin through a sieve to get a smooth puree. It’s all old school around here today.

Measure out 1 cup and set aside to cool. Warm the milk and sprinkle the yeast over it to soften.

When the pumpkin is lukewarm, mix in the tahini and egg yolk then melted butter. Save that egg white – you will need it later. Mix in the milk and yeast.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, nutmeg, paprika and toasted sesame seeds. Add the liquids and mix with your hand until it forms a shaggy dough.

If the dough is dry and stiff, add extra milk a tablespoon at a time until the dough is soft and pliable. I used two extra tablespoons this time around. The dough should be sticky and when you squish it between your fingers it should feel like stiff playdough.

Cover with a plastic bag and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

Wash out your bowl from before and put the dough back in it. Cover with a plastic bag – I just use a grocery bag – and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.

Tip the dough out and divide into 12 even pieces. Form each piece into a ball.

Place the rolls evenly spaced onto a cookie sheet. If the sheet fits inside a plastic bag then pop it in there to help keep them snuggly, otherwise cover with a damp teatowel and leave in warm place until doubled in size.

Heat the oven to 200C (337F). Brush the rolls with beaten egg white and sprinkle with pumpkin and sesame seeds. Do the pumpkin seeds first, then sesame seeds can fill in the gaps.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Hope you have some butter handy….

Cook’s Notes:

• The amount of milk does depend on how watery the pumpkin is. If the dough seems stiff when you are mixing, add milk a tablespoon at a time until it is workable
• Try to find a super ripe pumpkin to get the best flavour.

 – These rolls are best the day they are made, or in the next day or two if warmed through. For longer storage freeze in an ziplock bag for up to a month – 

Adapted from Classic German Baking by Luisa Weiss.

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