St-Ambroise Great Pumpkin Ale Bread Beer

St-Ambroise's Great Pumpkin Ale, canned pumpkin and pumpkin seeds team up to produce this delicious Fall loaf. 

Pumpkin seeds, otherwise known as Pepitas, contain many healthy vitamins and minerals and are used in many Mexican recipes. They play a key role in this St-Ambroise Great Pumpkin Ale Bread I made earlier this week. The seeds are not only in the bread but also  sprinkled on top just before baking, yielding a scrumptious crunchy crust. With the ale and canned pumpkin making up most of the liquid in the recipe, the bread's texture is moist and very rich. And guess what? These loaves are very cute little party guests too; colourful, versatile and a little unusual. Excellent for breakfast—toasted and slathered in honey—or befriending a hearty veggie soup at a cozy fall supper. Happy baking!

St-Ambroise Great Pumpkin Ale Bread

This recipe is intended for the breadmachine, using the dough cycle, then shaping and baking the loaves in the oven. If you  make the loaf in the breadmaker, choose the 2 lb size loaf option and the Whole Wheat cycle.

Note: Beer and canned pumpkin should be at room temperature.

 ½ cup St-Ambroise Great Pumpkin Ale (room temp)

1 cup canned pumpkin (room temp)

1 egg

¼ cup buttermilk (o skim milk) powder (both are available at the Bulk Barn)

1 ½ tsp salt

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp butter or margarine

1 cup whole wheat flour (or Fife flour –available at the Bulk Barn)

2 ¼ cups all-purpose white flour

½ cup pumpkin seeds (unsalted)

¾ tsp allspice

½ tsp ginger

¼ nutmeg

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp cloves

1 ½ tsp bread machine yeast

For topping:

1 egg white beaten

¼ cup pumpkin seeds

2 tbsp flax seeds

2 tbsp sesame seeds

2 tbsp poppy seeds

Measure ingredients into the breadpan. Insert the pan into the breadmachine. Choose the dough cycle. Press start.

When the breadmachine beeper sounds and dough is ready:

• Preheat oven to 350F and set over rack to middle shelf.
• With a sharp knife, divide lump into four equal pieces.
• Roll each piece into a flat 6” square.
• Roll up each square (tightly) into a small log shape.
• Pinch seam along the bottom of each loaf to seal dough.
• Roll ends to taper them and seal.
• Lightly spray grease or grease a flat baking sheet or French Loaf baking pan.
• Sprinkle seed mixture over the surface of each pan.
• Place loaves on prepared baking sheet or baking pan.
• Spray grease a piece of saran wrap, large enough to cover the loaves.
• The plastic wrap should touch the surface of the bread to allow it to rise freely, without creating a skin on the loaf. Remember: it will double in size.
• Place on baking cooling rack over a pan of hot water.
• Cover with a tea towel (to create a little warming tent for the bread).
• Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until just double in bulk (about 35 minutes) The top of the fridge is ideal!
• When risen, remove wrap and blush each loaf with beaten egg white.
• Sprinkle loaves with remaining seeds and very lightly press down with fingertips.

• Bake in oven at 350F for 25 min, then turn pan around and bake another 5-6 minutes. Bread should be golden brown.
• Slide loaves onto a baking cooking rack (place a large tray underneath to catch the seeds) and allow to cool for at least one hour before slicing.

Excellent toasted, buttered and smothered in honey! But then anything goes with honey, doesn’t it Denis!