Pumpkin bread in the air fryer
A light, airy yeast bread with pumpkin purée kneaded straight into the dough, giving the bread a warm orange colour and an unusually moist crumb. The air fryer bakes it with a crisp, golden crust and a scattering of pumpkin seeds on top.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Parchment paper (for air fryer)
- 1 Brush
- 1 Meat thermometer
- 1 Cooling rack For cooling
Ingredients
Dough
- 325 g wheat flour Plus a little extra for the work surface
- 7 g dried yeast Equivalent to 1 sachet
1 tsp salt Fine- 1 tbsp sugar
- 150 g pumpkin purée Cooled, without added liquid
- 60 ml lukewarm water
- 25 g butter Softened, cubed
Egg wash and topping
- 1 pcs egg Beaten, for brushing
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Instructions
Preparation
- Mix 325 g wheat flour, 7 g dried yeast, 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp sugar thoroughly together in a large mixing bowl, so the yeast is spread evenly through the flour.
- Add 150 g pumpkin purée and 60 ml lukewarm water, and stir it all together into a cohesive dough. The water content of the purée varies from pumpkin to pumpkin, so hold back a little of the water and only add it if the dough seems dry.
- Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes, until it's smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl. Knead in 25 g butter a little at a time towards the end, until it's fully incorporated.
- Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rise somewhere warm for 45 minutes, until it's roughly doubled in size.
- Knock back the dough on a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a round or oblong loaf that fits in your air fryer basket with plenty of room on all sides. Place the loaf on a piece of baking paper cut to fit the basket.
- Leave the loaf to prove, covered, for 30 minutes somewhere warm and free from draughts.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 160 °C.
- Brush the loaf with 1 pcs egg and scatter 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds evenly over the top. Press the seeds down lightly so they stay in place during baking.
- Lower the loaf into the preheated basket along with the baking paper and bake it at 160 °C for 30 minutes. Loosely lay a piece of foil over the loaf after about 20 minutes if the crust is browning too quickly.
- Check that the loaf is done: it should sound hollow when you tap the underside, and the core temperature should be 96 °C. Give it 3-5 more minutes at 160 °C if it's not quite there yet.
Serving
- Cool the loaf on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing. The crumb settles during this time and becomes moist rather than gummy.
- Serve the loaf warm or fully cooled, in thick slices with butter, cheese, or alongside a bowl of hot soup.
Notes
Tips for the perfect result:
Pumpkin purée varies a lot in water content. If the dough is too wet after kneading, add flour 1 tbsp at a time — it should be soft and slightly tacky, but not stick to your hands. Too much flour will make the bread dry. Golden crust:
The egg wash is what gives the colour. If you want the crust extra crisp all the way round, you can remove the baking paper for the last 5 minutes so the heat reaches the base directly. Variation:
Half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon or grated nutmeg in the flour gives the bread a more autumnal flavour. Sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts can be used instead of pumpkin seeds. Serving:
Great with pumpkin or tomato soup, as a breakfast bread with butter and honey, or toasted with a slice of ripe cheese. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can shape the dough into two small loaves and bake them in two batches — reduce the time to 22-25 minutes per loaf.
Pumpkin purée varies a lot in water content. If the dough is too wet after kneading, add flour 1 tbsp at a time — it should be soft and slightly tacky, but not stick to your hands. Too much flour will make the bread dry. Golden crust:
The egg wash is what gives the colour. If you want the crust extra crisp all the way round, you can remove the baking paper for the last 5 minutes so the heat reaches the base directly. Variation:
Half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon or grated nutmeg in the flour gives the bread a more autumnal flavour. Sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts can be used instead of pumpkin seeds. Serving:
Great with pumpkin or tomato soup, as a breakfast bread with butter and honey, or toasted with a slice of ripe cheese. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can shape the dough into two small loaves and bake them in two batches — reduce the time to 22-25 minutes per loaf.
Nutrition
Calories: 395kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 11gFat: 9gSaturated fat: 4gPolyunsaturated fat: 2gMonounsaturated fat: 2.5gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 600mgPotassium: 260mgFiber: 3.5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3000IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 4mgNet carbohydrates: 62.5g
