Fat free Pumpkin Bread (Yeast Bread)

Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Cake, Pumpkin Pie - it's pumpkin everywhere season. There are many recipes for pumpkin bread. But all of them have good amount of Sugar in them and there is quite a bit of oil too unless you make it fat free by replacing it entirely with applesauce. Here is my experiment in making a fat free pumpkin bread that is loaded with the goodness of whole wheat flour and pumpkin. It has only 2 TBSP sugar for the whole loaf. Can you beat this? Tender crumb, moist bread without fat? I say Yes.

One year back - Mickey Mouse Club House Cake
Two years back - Vegan Almond Cookies
Ingredients:
Whole Wheat flour - 3 cups
Vital wheat gluten - 3 TBSP
Warm water - 1/2 cup + 2 TBSP (See Notes)
Instant yeast - 2 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 2 TBSP
Pumpkin Puree - 1 cup measured in dry measuring cup
Spices - optional I didn't use any.

Method:
To make the dough by hand:
Mix pumpkin puree, sugar and warm water. Sprinkle yeast on the top and let it get foamy. Set aside for about 5 - 10 minutes until it is ready. Take flour, vital wheat gluten, salt in a large bowl. Mix them and make a well in the center. Pour the pumpkin, sugar, water, yeast mixture in the center and start mixing the dough.  When all the flour has been mixed to make a dough, start kneading for about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Make a ball and coat with oil all over. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for about 1 hour. Dough might not double. As long as the indentation remains when you press, it is ready for shaping.

To make the dough in a bread machine:
Add all the ingredients in the order of pumpkin puree, Sugar, water, salt, flour, gluten, yeast and start it on the dough setting. When it beeps, check that the dough is not sticky. If sticky, add a TBSP of flour at a time to fix it. When the dough cycle completes, deflate and proceed with shaping.

Deflate the dough and shape into a loaf. Place in a greased 9 X 5 pan (See Notes). Cover with oiled plastic wrap or aluminum foil and let it rise for the final time about 45 minutes to an hour or till the dough comes till the rim of the pan.  Preheat the oven to 375 F towards the end of the rise time. You might prefer to brush with milk and oil mixture to get a nice crust color. I didn't do any of those. Bake for 25 minutes. Turn down the temperature to 325 F and bake for another 10 - 15 minutes or until golden on the top and the internal temperature registers 200 F. If you don't have the thermometer to check it, it should sound hollow when tapped at the bottom.

Cool in the pan on the rack for 10 minutes and then turn it on to the wire rack to cool completely. You can brush the top of the loaf with some oil if desired. Slice when completely cool.

Notes:
This bread is not a real high riser. A 8 X 4 pan would've given me a loaf with better height. Different kinds of whole wheat flour absorb different quantities of water. You might have to adjust the flour or water by a TBSP if required. Dough should not be sticky, but a bit tacky when the kneading is complete.

This loaf is being yeastspotted. Linking it up to Kid's delight - Vegan and egg less bakes hosted by Priya, started by Srivalli.

Enjoy.

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