Pumpkin bread in the shape of a pumpkin

Ingredients:

Bread

• 1/4 cup warm whole milk (about 40°C)
• 2 packets of 7 g active dry yeast (4.5 tsp)
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil + extra for greasing the bowl
• 3 cups of premium flour + extra for working with the dough
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Special equipmentkitchen string

Spiced pumpkin seed oil

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Pumpkin bread:
   
   Pour warm milk into a large bowl and sprinkle yeast over it. Let it sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, 1 large egg, and vegetable oil until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add the pumpkin mixture and knead into a rough dough.
2. Lightly flour a work surface. Turn the dough out and knead until very smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Transfer to another large bowl lightly greased with vegetable oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down the dough, then form it into a smooth ball about 6 inches (15 cm) wide. Cut three 24-inch (60 cm) pieces of kitchen string and lay them on a clean work surface in the shape of a snowflake. Place the dough ball in the center, then tie the ends of the string at the top of the dough, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space between the dough and the knot as the dough will continue to rise. Do not tie the string too tightly. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, insert a cinnamon stick into the center of the dough to form the stem. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until the dough begins to take on the shape of a pumpkin, another 15 to 30 minutes.
4. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 175°C.
5. Whisk the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl, then brush the entire outside of the bread with the beaten egg. Bake until the crust is nicely browned and a thermometer inserted into the center registers 185°F (88°C), about 30 minutes. Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack.
6. Spiced pumpkin seed oil:
   
   Combine pumpkin puree, heavy cream, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar melts and the mixture thickens slightly and turns a deep orange color, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until completely set.
7. Carefully cut and remove the string from the bread. Slice the bread and serve with pumpkin butter.