Autumn Harvest Fruit & Nut Bread | Direct Method | Optional Old Dough or Levain

Two days ago a friend gifted me a delicious pumpkin-spiced fruit and nut loaf that tasted just like autumn. Yesterday I went out and bought pumpkin pie spice so I could recreate a homemade version today.

🍞Ingredients: (Makes two 450g Pullman loaf pans)

Egg 50g, milk powder 15g, sweetened condensed milk 50g, brown sugar 50g, salt 6g, water 285g (adjust as needed), bread flour 560g, instant dry yeast 6g, pumpkin pie spice 5g, softened room-temperature butter 45g, 1 handful each of walnuts and pumpkin/sunflower seeds, plus 1 handful each of raisins and dried cranberries soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained well. (If you have leftover old dough (pâte fermentée) or sourdough starter/levain to use up, you can add it right in; today I used up 93g of old dough and 40g of sourdough levain).

🍞Method:

1️⃣Mix all ingredients except the butter, nuts, and dried fruits in the mixer bowl. Knead until the dough reaches the thick membrane stage (medium gluten development), add the butter, and knead to the full windowpane stage (thin, translucent membrane). Add the nuts and drained dried fruits, mix on low speed until evenly distributed, shape into a tight ball, cover, and place in a warm, humid spot for the first proof (bulk fermentation).

2️⃣Once the dough has doubled in size, gently degas and shape. You have lots of flexibility here: divide into 16 equal pieces for dinner rolls, divide into 6 pieces for two 3-peak mountain loaves, or divide into 2 pieces, roll out, coil up, and place into two loaf pans like I did today.

3️⃣Place the shaped loaves in a warm, humid spot for the second proof. I proofed mine inside the turned-off oven with a bowl of hot water.

4️⃣Proof until the pans are 80% to 90% full. Mist the tops lightly with water and press on a few extra nuts and dried fruits for decoration (optional).

5️⃣For dinner rolls, bake at 180°C for about 16 to 18 minutes. For loaves, bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes, tenting with aluminum foil halfway through once browned.

🌼If you have leftover old dough (pâte fermentée) or levain to use up, toss it right in without changing the rest of the formula; it adds wonderful depth of flavor.

🌼If you have steamed pumpkin at home, you can knead some pumpkin puree into the dough and reduce the water accordingly for an even tastier autumn loaf.

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