It begins...

Come the cooler weather and it's time to start baking (and eat, eat, eating) again...this bread looked lovely and tasted pretty good. It just needed about 10 minutes more in the oven. So if you decide to make it, I would say leave it in the oven for about 70 minutes (their original suggestion of 45 minutes was way off - I had already amended that to 60 and still it wasn't quite cooked!) So, here is the recipe for Pumpkin Bread ~

500g butternut pumpkin, peeled, chopped

• 2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 75g butter, melted
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary sprigs
• Butter, to serve (optional)
• 
  

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 9cm-deep, 9cm x 19cm (base) loaf pan. Line base and 2 long ends with baking paper.

2. Cook pumpkin in a saucepan of boiling, salted water for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Transfer to a large bowl. Using a fork, mash until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes.

3. Add flour, fennel seeds, oregano, butter, milk and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Using a spatula, level top. Sprinkle over rosemary. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean (cover with foil if over-browning during cooking). Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Lift out onto a wire rack to cool. Serve with butter, if using.

Mmmm. Sugar, salt and water. Can you beat it? This is salty toffee. Combine 1 cup of caster sugar and a quarter of a cup of water in a saucepan. Gradually increase the heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to turn caramel brown. Pour mixture over a lined baking tray, sprinkle with sea salt flakes and allow to cool before breaking it up. Be careful though - mixture is very hot - I have the blister to prove it where I "just thought I'd try a little bit of it".