Description
Japanese Kabocha Bread is a delightful sweet bread featuring the natural sweetness of Japanese kabocha pumpkin and purple sweet potato. The bread dough is enriched with mashed kabocha and a creamy mixture of egg yolk, milk, and butter, creating a soft texture. The bread is filled with a sweet pumpkin and purple sweet potato paste, wrapped individually with kitchen twine to create adorable pumpkin-shaped loaves that are then baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread Dough
- 250 g Baker’s flour
- 2 g salt
- 1 tsp dry yeast
- 1 egg yolk
- 150–160 ml milk
- 30 g mashed Kabocha pumpkin
- 15 g sugar
- 20 g butter (melted)
Sweet Filling Paste
- 50 g mashed Kabocha pumpkin
- 50 g mashed purple sweet potato
- 30 g sugar
Decoration
- 8 pieces of 80 cm kitchen cotton twine strings, soaked in 1 tbsp oil (olive or any preferred oil)
- 8 pumpkin seeds (for the stems)
Instructions
- Prepare the Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Paste: Peel the kabocha pumpkin and purple sweet potato, then cook them until soft. Mash both until smooth.
- Cook the Sweet Paste: In a small saucepan, combine the mashed kabocha pumpkin, mashed sweet potato, and sugar. Stir constantly over low heat for about 5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly as some water evaporates. Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
- Form Paste Balls: Once cooled, divide the sweet paste into 8 small balls, about 2 tablespoons each, and set aside.
- Prepare the Bread Dough: In a large bowl, mix baker’s flour and salt. Make a well in the center.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate container, whisk together egg yolk, milk (adjust quantity slightly to total around 160 ml), mashed Kabocha pumpkin, sugar, melted butter, and yeast until smooth.
- Mix and Knead Dough: Pour the wet mixture into the flour well. Mix thoroughly and knead the dough for about 20 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Lightly spray a bowl with oil, place the dough inside, cover with cling wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 40 minutes until doubled in size.
- Prepare Twine: Soak the kitchen twine strings in 1 tablespoon of oil to prevent sticking and set aside.
- Divide the Dough: Once risen, punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal round balls.
- Assemble the Bread: Flatten each dough ball, place one sweet paste ball in the center, and carefully wrap the dough around the paste to seal.
- Wrap With Twine: Wring out excess oil from each twine string. Place each filled dough ball on the bench, position the string ends across the center, twist and flip the dough over the string repeatedly to create a pumpkin-like pattern. Tie the twine knot underneath and place the dough seam-side down on baking paper.
- Second Rise: Cover the dough balls with a moist tea towel and let them rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat and Bake: Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) and bake the breads for 12–15 minutes until golden.
- Cool and Remove Twine: Allow the breads to cool completely. Carefully cut the twine at several points and gently remove it. Optionally, place a pumpkin seed on top of each loaf as a stem decoration.
Notes
- Adjust milk quantity slightly to make total liquid volume approximately 160 ml as per moisture needed for dough.
- Soaking twine in oil prevents the dough from sticking and helps create a decorative pumpkin-like pattern.
- Do not tie twine too tightly to allow dough expansion during baking.
- Use kitchen cotton twine that is food safe and heat resistant.
- Ensure sweet paste is completely cooled before wrapping to prevent dough getting soggy.
- Kabocha pumpkin can be substituted with other sweet pumpkins if unavailable.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Japanese
Keywords: Japanese Kabocha Bread, pumpkin bread, sweet pumpkin bread, homemade bread, kabocha pumpkin, sweet potato, baked bread, Japanese bakery style
