Sourdough Pumpkin Shaped Mini Loaves

Twine wrapped around proofed dough before baking is the trick that shapes these into little pumpkins, a fun way to dress up a basic sourdough loaf for fall.

I love finding creative ways to shape sourdough, and back when I was teaching, I used to bring these into school for my students, they loved that their bread actually looked like a tiny pumpkin.

Servings: Makes 4-5 mini loaves

Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: Approximately 24 hours (including fermentation time)

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Ingredients for the Dough:

• 125g active starter (about ½ cup + 1 Tbsp)

• 365g warm filtered water (about 1½ cups)

• 12g salt (about 2 tsp)

• 500g unbleached bread flour (about 4 cups)

To Make Them Shaped Like Pumpkins:

• Butchers twine

• Olive oil (for dipping the twine in)

• Cinnamon sticks (for stems)

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 125g active starter, 365g warm water, 12g salt, and 500g flour. Use your hands to mix until there are no flour pockets. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 1 hour.

2. Perform 4 rounds of stretch and folds every 30 minutes for 2 hours. Then, let the dough bulk ferment on the counter for 4-6 hours, or until it has increased in size by 50%-75%.

3. Shape the dough into 4-5 mini loaves (around 200g each) and place them into mini bannetons.

4. Cover the bannetons and refrigerate for 8-24 hours.

5. The next morning, preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with a Dutch oven inside. Dip the butchers twine in olive oil to prevent sticking, and place 4-5 pieces of twine on each dough ball while it’s still in the banneton.

6. Use parchment paper to flip the dough out of the banneton. Tie the opposite ends of the twine to create pumpkin indents and score between the twine.

7. Bake 2-3 loaves at a time in the preheated Dutch oven at 500°F for 20 minutes with the lid on (adding ice cubes to create steam inside the Dutch oven for a harder crust). Then lower the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C), remove the lid, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

8. Once baked, cut off the twine and let the bread cool completely before slicing.

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Additional Tips:

• For added flavor, consider mixing in spices like nutmeg or allspice into the dough.

• If you don't have bannetons, you can use a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel.

• Ensure your starter is active and bubbly for the best rise.

Storing Instructions:

• Store cooled bread in a paper bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.

• For longer storage, freeze the bread in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.

Reheating tips:

• Reheat in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes to restore freshness.