Making Pepita Bread

I love all the bread made by my talented wife Kim, and her Pepita Bread is no exception.  The Pepitas (aka Pumpkin seeds) have an amazing flavour and crunch that makes this bread something quite special.

Kim and I use our trusty bread maker to knead the dough, but always shape it and bake it in the oven.  This is because we have more control over the baking process and can make it into any shape we desire.  It also saves time.

We love making our own bread because the beauty is that you know exactly what goes into it.  Something much better than a commercial loaf with a list of ingredients as long as your arm!

For those of you who want to give it a crack, Kim has kindly let me share the recipe with all of you today.

Kim’s Pepita Bread

Ingredients

• 300ml (10 US oz) Skimmed milk
• 1 egg yolk
• 1½ Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1½ Tablespoons Rapadura Sugar
• 3½ cups Bread Flour
• ¾ cup Pepitas
• 1 teaspoon Bread Improver
• 2¼ teaspoons Dried Yeast

Method

1. Add all the ingredients in order into your bread maker pan and start on the dough setting.
2. Once the dough has been kneaded, remove and roll out into two loaves and score across the top.  If the dough is a little dry, wet your hands when shaping them, which helps add a bit of moisture.
3. Place the loaves on a greased baking tray and leave in a warm place for 1½ to 2 hours to rise.
4. Once risen, bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (356°F) for 20 minutes until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when knocked on the bottom.
5. Allow to cool on a cooling rack.  Slice and serve with butter.

I hope you enjoy this bread as much as I do!  It even tastes amazing toasted because the pepitas roast a little bit more which enhances the flavour.

The smell of fresh bread baking in the oven is one I never tire of.