Pumpkin Bread

Butternut pumpkin was on special the other day so I couldn't resist buying a couple more even though I have half in the refrigerator. With so much pumpkin and Winter seeming to have arrived early, I'm busy leafing through my recipe folder for soul-warming food. This pumpkin bread recipe, originally published in Super Food Ideas, is a favourite of Hubby's and mine. It's the fennel that makes this pumpkin bread such a flavour experience for me!

Serves 6

Times

Preparation:

15-20 minutes

Cooking:

40-45 minutes
Maybe it's because I guesstimate quantities but I have found that it can take up to 75 minutes for my pumpkin bread to cook.

Ingredients

• 500g butternut pumpkin, peeled, chopped
• 2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 40g butter, melted
  The original recipe used 75g. I reduced the amount to reduce the fat.
• ½ cup skim milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• Fresh rosemary sprigs (approximately 2 tspn)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.
2. Line base and two long ends of a 9cm-deep, 9cm x 19cm (base) loaf pan with baking paper.
3. Cook pumpkin in a saucepan of boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender.
4. Drain pumpkin and transfer to a large bowl.
5. Mash pumpkin until smooth and let cool for at least 5 minutes.
6. Add flour, fennel seeds, oregano, butter, milk and eggs, and season with pepper.
7. Spoon mixture into prepared pan.
8. Using a spatula, level top and sprinkle over rosemary.
9. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.
10. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Lift out onto a wire rack to cool.

Tips

• Use 1 tspn of ground fennel seeds instead of 1 tspn of fennel seeds.
  I think using ground fennel creates the strong flavour that I love.
• Instead of cooking the pumpkin in boiling water, place cut pumpkin in a microwave dish with about a tablespoon of water, cover, and microwave on high for about 5-10 minutes.
• Ensure that the mashed pumpkin is cold before adding it to the dry ingredients.
  I found that my bread was quite stodgy and did not rise if the pumpkin was still warm. I try to cook and mash the pumpkin the night before and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.
• Freeze portions for future meals. When required, microwave on high for 1-1½ minutes.
• For people with dairy or egg allergies, substitute the milk and eggs with ¾ cup soy milk and ¼ cup of stewed or pureed, cooked apple.