Make a Pumpkin-Shaped Sourdough Loaf for Fall
This pumpkin-shaped sourdough loaf is a fun and festive twist on classic sourdough. With a soft crumb, golden crust, and adorable pumpkin shape, it's perfect for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving tables, or cozy weekend baking.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Dough whisk
- Large Bowl
- Lame or sharp knife
- Banneton basket or large bowl
- Tea towel or plastic bag
- Food scale
- Dutch oven
- Bench scraper - for shaping the dough
- Parchment paper
- Butchers twine
Ingredients
Feeding Your Starter
- 1/2 cup Bread flour
- 1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
- 1 cup Water
For the Dough
- 450 g Bread Flour
- 10 g Salt
- 307 g Water
- 100 g Sourdough Starter
- 1 Cinnamon stick To add on top as the stem for our pumpkin loaf.
Instructions
1. Prepare the Dough
- Use your favorite sourdough recipe and bulk ferment the dough as usual. If you don't have a go to sourdough recipe, ours is linked above. Just make sure to use the bulk fermentation chart we talked about eariler. The cliff notes for the measurements are above.
2. Shaping the Dough
- After the bulk fermentation, gently pre-shape the dough into a round using a bench scraper. Tuck the bench scraper under the dough and move the bench scraper into a clock-wise (counter-clockwise if you're left handed) motion until the dough starts to get smoother and tighter.
3. Final Proof
- Once your dough has been shaped, place it in a banneton basket or a large bowl and cover it with a tea towel or a plastic grocery bag. Let your dough cold proof in the fridge for 12 - 15 hours.
4. Tie the Twine and Bake the Pumpkin-Shaped Loaves
- Preheat your oven to 420 degrees. Preheat your dutch oven as well.
- Take a piece of parchment paper, add flour to it, and start laying out your twine to create 8 sections. The twine should create a pizza shape.
- Next, place your dough on top of the twine and start tying knots until every piece of twine is tied around the dough.
- Place your dough on top of the pre-heated oven to help the dough reach room temp faster.
- Once your oven has finished preheating, take your lame or sharp knife to create an expansion score along the twine.
- Bake at 420 degrees for 25 minutes with the lid on and 25 minutes with the lid off.
- Once the fall pumpkin-shaped sourdough loaf has cooled, remove the twine, and place a cinnamon stick at the top to act as the stem.
