Pumpkin Yeast Bread with Seed Crust

Method

1. Wash and deseed the pumpkin and cut it into 2 cm cubes with the skin on. Simmer covered in a small pan with 125 ml water for 12–15 minutes until soft, drain and let it steam dry for 5 minutes. This matters: puree that is too wet makes the dough sticky.
2. Puree the pumpkin finely. Stir in the milk and butter and let it cool to lukewarm (37 °C at most, otherwise the yeast suffers).
3. Mix flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin mixture and knead for 8–10 minutes into a smooth, soft dough. If it is very sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time.
4. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for about 60 minutes until visibly larger.
5. Grease the loaf tin and dust it with flour. Briefly knead the dough, shape it into a log and place it in the tin. Brush with milk, scatter over the pumpkin seeds and press them in lightly. Let it rise for another 30 minutes until doubled in size.
6. Preheat the oven to 190 °C (conventional). Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath. After 20 minutes cover loosely with foil if the seeds get too dark.
7. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.