Sourdough Spelt Pumpkin Boule

If it's autumn than it's time for all things pumpkin! This 100% white spelt boule is long fermented sourdough and filled with pumpkin flavor. It has a lovely golden color and a moist texture. We enjoyed it as sandwiches, next to (or under) eggs, and how delicious would a slather of butter and a dusting of cinnamon sugar be!?

See this bread come together at 'How Chandra Does Food' on YouTube. https://youtu.be/QZlNvSTUNv4

Makes 2 small breads.

Ingredients:

1000 g white spelt flour

22 g salt

120 g sourdough starter

2 cups pumpkin purée (about 500 g)

225 g water, or amount of water needed to bring the liquids weight up to 775 (see notes)

Directions:

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center for the remaining ingredients.

Add remaining ingredients into the well and stir well to combine. It will be a very shaggy dough at this point.

Let sit for 15-30 minutes.

Stretch and fold a total of three times with 30 minutes between each to allow the gluten to relax.

Let proof 4-8 hours at room temperature, depending on how warm the room is.

Divide and shape into two boules and let rest on the counter, covered - 30 minutes.

Shape one more time to increase the surface tension before moving into banneton baskets.

Allow to rest at room temperature one hour and then either bake or move to the refrigerator for an overnight rest to further ferment and decrease gluten content.

When ready to bake, preheat oven with dutch oven inside to 500 degrees.

Turn boule out into hot dutch oven then cover and place in preheated oven. Immediately lower heat to 450 degrees and bake for 45 minutes, removing the lid for the last 15 minutes of bake time.

Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool at least one hour before cutting into the bread to avoid a gummy texture.

Notes: This bread requires a higher liquid to flour ratio than is typical for spelt due to the inclusion of the pumpkin purée. If you are using canned pumpkin, you may need even more water as canned pumpkin purée is drier than homemade.