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Monday, November 26, 2012

Pumpkin Hazelnut Bread (Sweetened Brown Butter Glaze)

Happy week after Thanksgiving!  Let the shopping begin!!  Right?  Most importantly, let the BAKING begin!


Why is it, that I find my best recipes are born from the marriage of random leftovers?  I think it is because I refuse to through leftovers away and I am forced to be creative.  I have had these blasted hazelnuts in the freezer for like, oh I dunno, a LONG time I have needed to use up.  I had never made brown butter, or sweetened brown butter but of course eaten it so I wanted to try it.  

My husband is sitting here and we are laughing over all the things people MIGHT make out of leftover pumpkin.   So he just said, " With my leftover pumpkin, I made a reduced fat, pumpkin vichyssoise served with gluten free, whole wheat and non fat, pumpernickel bread croutons.  I topped it with a dollop of non fat, gluten free creme fraiche substitute made from the purist tofu".  Ok so, before you get offended, we are joking, he just had to incorporate all of his own personal worst nightmares! If you could hear how hard he is laughing.  I don't know, I think it is a turkey overdose. 

So here it is, this is SO good, great for breakfast, dessert, brunch, midnight snack.......anytime!  Oh and as usual, you can trade out the hazelnuts for any kind of nuts you like, or just have on hand or need to use up.  Trust me though, when I tell you, the hazelnuts are awesome in this.  That's all I'm sayin'.....

Also, see how all the drizzle is pooled on the sides of the bread?  A good photographer would have picked the bread up after it was set, and put it on a clean plate.  Me?  HECK NO!  That pooled drizzle is the part you use a butter knife to pick up and spread more on your piece of bread!  Shhh, I won't tell if you won't tell!

You will need:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup toasted/roasted hazelnuts (or other nut of your choice but trust me on this hazelnut thing)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.  Mix completely and set aside.  In a separate bowl combine the pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg.  Mix until they are combined.


Now, pour the wet mixture, into the dry mixture and using a spoon, mix until just combined.  At this point you can add in your toasted nuts as well.  Get them totally mixed in. 

Prepare your standard loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter.  I line mine with parchment paper just down the center and leave it long enough that when it is done, I can use the parchment as handles to lift the loaf right out! (see photo below) Just LOOK at the color!


Bake for 50-55 minutes.  When a toothpick or skewer comes out of the center clean, you know it is done.  Cool COMPLETELY before icing!!

For the Sweetened Brown Butter Drizzle you will need:
1/4 cup butter (half of one stick)
3/4 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar, confectioners sugar)
Up to 2 tbsp milk (depending on the consistency you want, mine took 1 tbsp)

In a small saucepan, add in your butter.  Let it go on a medium heat until it turns brown.  Don't walk away, just watch and right when it turns brown, it will be done.  Remove it from the heat and add in powdered sugar.  Add milk as needed until it is the consistency you want.  To be honest if you want it thick to spread on the top that is fine, or if you want it to drizzle add the milk until it is where you want it.  Drizzle over the bread and let sit for 5 minutes.  Serve!!

You could make mini loaves and put them on your cookie trays for Christmas.  Freeze them even!  I will tell you all about how I feel about cookie trays soon...........or did I already?
 
Your "do you say pumpkin or punkin"chefwannabe

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