This recipe is a Cooking Club Classic (Hostess: TK; Theme: Pumpkin; Date: 10.15.06). I look forward to each fall, when I buy a sugar pumpkin or two, and prepare pumpkin puree to have on hand and bake a few dishes. Although the recipe is titled “focaccia,” it is not at all like a traditional focaccia with herbs and tomatoes and fingerprint indentations. I would describe it more as a sweet bread, and the gruyère adds a savory tang. This bread gets rave reviews and friends often ask me for my secret.
It is so satisfying to make bread from scratch – give it a try!
Pumpkin-Gruyère Focaccia
Pumpkin and gruyere? TRUST ME. It works.
Author: myutensilcrock.com
Recipe type: Bread
Ingredients
- ¾ c warm water (100° to 110° – I measure temp with a standard meat thermometer)
- ⅓ c brown sugar (measure when packed)
- 1 package dry yeast (about 2 + ¼ tsp)
- 3 + ½ c flour, divided
- 3 T butter, melted
- 1 c pumpkin puree* {see Notes}
- 1 t salt
- ¼ t ground nutmeg
- ¾ c grated gruyère cheese (or more)
- cooking spray
- 1 t cornmeal
Instructions
- Combine water, brown sugar, and yeast in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
- Add 1 cup flour and the melted butter to yeast mixture; stir just until combined.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place** {see Notes}, free from drafts, for 30 minutes.
- Add pumpkin, salt, and nutmeg to flour mixture; stir until well combined.
- Add 2¼ cups flour and half of cheese; stir until a soft dough forms.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes), or mix in stand mixer with dough hook for a few minutes; add enough of remaining ¼ cup flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking (dough will feel just a little tacky).
- Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, and spray the top of the dough as well. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.
- Divide dough in half; shape each half into an 8-inch circle. You can also make smaller loaves, or dinner roll size portions.
- Place dough circles on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over dough circles and press lightly to adhere. Lightly coat dough circles with cooking spray; cover and let rise 20 minutes (dough will not double in size). Don’t put it back in the oven for this last 20 minutes.
- While the dough is resting, preheat oven to 400°.
- Uncover dough; bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until loaves are browned on the bottom and cheese melts (loosely place foil over the loaves to prevent overbrowning, if necessary).
- Cool on a wire rack.
Notes
* To make my own pumpkin puree, I cut a sugar pumpkin (the small ones) into chunks. I remove the seeds, and place it flesh-side up on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 8-10 minutes. The skin will remove easily, and the flesh will puree nicely in a food processor (I add a little water while pureeing if it seems too thick).
** To create this magical place to let the bread rise, I set a rack on the lowest track in the oven – which is OFF. I set a glass baking dish on the rack, and pour a kettle full of boiling water into the dish. It is pretty fool-proof: the steam helps the dough rise and I do not worry about drafts.
** To create this magical place to let the bread rise, I set a rack on the lowest track in the oven – which is OFF. I set a glass baking dish on the rack, and pour a kettle full of boiling water into the dish. It is pretty fool-proof: the steam helps the dough rise and I do not worry about drafts.
Adapted from: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/top-rated-recipes/best-pumpkin-recipes-00400000058808/page6.html
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