Pumpkin or Jack O'Lantern Bread Bowls

The Halloween parties are happening in less than two weeks, so it's time to get a few things prepped.  You're gonna get dressed up, so why not dress up the food as well.

If you're going to serve any type of sauce or dip, or if you just want an edible decoration, you can make a batch of Pumpkin Bread Bowls.  They work well for any dip or soup, but there are other options as well, which we'll discuss at the end.


Pumpkin or Jack O'Lantern Bread Bowls
Makes 4 bowls

Pumpkins
1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups warm water (around 105 degrees)
6 tablespoons melted butter
5 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Orange food coloring

Stems
1/4 cups wet mixture (see instructions)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 cup flour
Green food coloring

Combine the yeast, brown sugar, and water in a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer.  Let if foam up for about 5 minutes.  While you're waiting, melt the butter in the microwave and allow to cool.  Add the butter and two cups of flour and mix well using the bread hook attachment.  Scoop out 1/4 cup of the mixture at this point and place in another bowl for later. (if you're making Witch Fingers, skip this scoop-out step, just use a little of that dough for the stems)

Add enough food coloring to achieve a orange that's a little darker than desired. (it'll lighten up, don't worry). Slowly add the rest of the flour until it collects into a ball around the bread hook, it does not stick to the bowl and it not sticky to the touch. 

Separate the dough into four large balls.  After they are rolled into balls, place your hands on the sides of one dough ball and using your fingers, press the underside up into the ball and slowly tuck the sides under as well.  Maintain the ball shape until the top of the ball is smooth.  This stretches the outer membrane of the dough ball tight for the next step.

Using a very sharp knife, slowly score a line in the skin of the dough ball from the top of the bottom.  This creates the signature creases of a pumpkin.  Do this 6-8 times around the dough ball. Just score the skin, don't make deep cuts.

Place the dough balls on a greased cookie sheet with lots of space in between.  Press the top center down into the ball to create that customary top indentation around the stem. 

(Skip this paragraph if you're making Witch Fingers as well, because you'll have the dough already.)  Turn your attention back to the 1/4 cup of wet mixture you extracted earlier.  Add enough food coloring to achieve the green color you want.  Then add the extra flour and mix the dough until it's no longer sticky.

Take a small amount of the green dough and roll out a top stem.  Press one end down into the indentation you created a moment ago and pinch around the edge of the stem and the top of the pumpkin so they stick together. 

Heat the oven up to 150 and then turn it off.  Place the pumpkins in the oven to rise for 20 minutes.  After rising, Remove them from the oven while you preheat it to 350 degrees.  Place them back into the oven  once it has reached the correct temperature and cook them for 25 minutes.  Check them at 20 minutes, because if they start to brown, don't let them stay in there too long.  Remove them to a cooling rack and then use them as you see fit.

There's a variety of applications you can apply to them.  If you have an edible ink pen, you can draw jack o'lantern faces on them. Trim off the top, hollow it out and fill it with any type of dip.  You could also use them as bowls and fill them with chili, clam chowder or some chicken noodle soup.  Or try carving them like a regular pumpkin; hollow them out, cut out a face, place an electric tea light inside and use it as a decoration.

Just be creative.  Now you can pair them with any other creations you make, like I did.  You can take three pumpkins and fill them with marinara sauce and two other types of dip.  Then add some Witch Finger breadsticks and any other decorations, like my Pepper Spider, for a tray of snacks for a ghoulish get-together. (The witch fingers and pepper spider recipe are coming up in the next couple of days)

So start prepping for Halloween or just a soup night this fall and make a batch of these pumpkins tonight!