Yields 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 120g warm water
  • 6g active dry yeast 
  • 25g molasses
  • 25g granulated sugar 
  • 40g egg yolk (about 2 large)
  • 130g pumpkin puree 
  • 42g bacon fat 
  • 1g chile powder
  • 400g all purpose flour 
  • 4g kosher salt 
  • 40g cooked bacon – finely chopped 

Egg Wash

1 large egg + 15ml water- whisked very well. 

Directions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the water, yeast, molasses and sugar until dissolved. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. Whisk in the egg yolk, pumpkin puree, bacon fat and chile powder, then add the flour and salt. Knead with the dough hook, on medium low speed, until the dough is elastic, about 3 minutes. The dough will still be slightly tacky. Add the chopped bacon and mix to evenly knead the pieces into the dough.
  2. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour or until double in volume.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350
  4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  5. Gently deflate the dough and then portion into 13 portions (about 55g each)
  6. Cut one of the portions in half and set aside. Shape the remaining 12 portions into balls, and then lightly pinch the ends to make them more oval than round.
  7. Arrange 6 six of the dough ovals in a tight circle on the prepared baking sheet, gently pushing them together so the sides all touch and the ends almost meet in the middle. Repeat with the remaining 6 ovals. Roll the reserved two smaller pieces of dough into balls and place in the center of each circle of dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 – 40 minutes until the dough barely bounces back when gently pressed with a finger. 
  8. Gently egg wash the “pumpkins” and bake at 350 for 25 minutes, until they are lightly browned.  

Chef’s note: Festively shaped in homage to pumpkins, these pull apart rolls are quite versatile. Don’t care for bacon? Omit it and replace the bacon fat with unsalted butter. Want more heat? Try a using vindaloo curry powder. Don’t want to spend the time shaping the dough into pumpkins? Bake them as individual rolls. 


Recipe courtesy of Chef Zac Young of PieCaken Bakeshop