Braided Pumpkin Cheese Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Combine milk, warm water, honey, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 10 minutes.
• Add oil, pumpkin puree, flour, and salt in the order listed. Mix until a soft, smooth, and tacky dough forms. Adjust flour and water amounts if dough is too sticky.
• Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for a few minutes. Form dough into a ball and place in a large greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Divide dough into 2 balls and lightly flour each. Return 1 ball to the covered bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. Roll the remaining ball into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Spread 1/2 of the Colby-Jack cheese evenly over the surface. Roll dough up from the short side like a jelly roll and pinch seams to seal.
• Cut roll lengthwise down the middle using a sharp, non-serrated knife. Place two halves next to each other, cut-sides facing up, and braid together starting by placing right side over left. Do your best to keep the cut-sides facing upwards. Seal both ends of the braid and place into a greased loaf pan, cut-sides up.
• Cover dough with plastic. Repeat rolling, filling, and braiding with the remaining dough. Let loaves rise until they reach the top of the loaf pan or start to peek above it, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove plastic wrap.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Rotate pans and tent loaves with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
• Remove loaf pans from the oven; cool for 5 minutes. Cool loaves on a rack for 1 hour.

Steps:

• Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a large bowl.
• Combine yogurt, 1/2 cup water and butter in a saucepan; heat over low heat until warm.
• Gradually add to dry ingredients and beat for two minutes at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Reserve 1 tablespoon beaten egg for topping; add remaining eggs, 1 cup flour and 1 1/2 cups cheese.
• Beat on high for two minutes.
• Stir in enough additional flour to make a stiff dough.
• Turn out on lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about ten minutes.
• Put in a greased bowl, turning to grease top of dough; cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about an hour).
• Punch down; divide dough in half.
• Divide each half into three pieces and shape each piece into a 12" rope.
• Braid the three ropes together and pinch ends together to seal; repeat with the second loaf.
• Place loaves into a greased 9 x 5" loaf pan, cover and let rise until doubled.
• Combine reserved egg and milk; brush over loaves.
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake in a preheated 375F oven 30 minutes or until done.
• Remove from pans and cool on racks.

Steps:

• In large bowl, stir 2 cups of the flour, sugar, salt and yeast. In 2-quart saucepan, heat pumpkin, butter and cider; over medium heat, until 120°F to 130°F. Add to flour mixture; beat on medium speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. On floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, 3 to 5 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover with plastic wrap and cloth towel; let rise in warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.
• Grease large cookie sheet. Punch down dough. Divide in half; divide each half into 3 pieces. On lightly floured surface, roll each piece into 24-inch-long rope. On cookie sheet, place 3 ropes close together. Braid loosely; pinch ends together, forming a circle. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover; let rise in warm place until almost double in size, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, beat egg and water until well blended; brush over braids; sprinkle with sesame and poppy seed.
• Bake 18 to 24 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire racks. Cool about 1 hour.