Liam Charles’s Pumpkin Spiced Breads

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4.

Step 2

To make the pumpkin spiced rolls, add the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and butter to a food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Step 3

Add the pumpkin purée and milk, then pulse until the mixture starts to form a dough.

Step 4

Transfer the dough to a very lightly floured worksurface and gently bring it together into a ball.

Step 5

Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces, then roll each one into a neat ball.

Step 6

Using the diagram to help you, make a pumpkin shape:

1. Lay a piece of string on the bench, and place one of the balls of dough on top of the very centre of the string.
2. Cross the string over the top of the roll
3. Rotate it a quarter turn, and bring the string down to divide the roll into quarters. Pull the string tight but be careful not to squish the ball of dough. The string should only be touching the surface of the dough.
4. Flip the roll over, cross the string over the bottom of the roll, then rotate it to divide two of the quarters.
5. Flip the roll over one more time, cross the string over the top of the roll, and rotate it to divide the last two sections, so that the roll is now divided into 8 sections by the string.

Step 7

Tie the string under the ball with a small knot.

Step 8

Repeat this for the remaining 5 balls of dough.

Step 9

Transfer the rolls to a lined baking sheet and bake for 15–18 minutes, until risen and golden brown.

Step 10

Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool. Snip the string and carefully peel it all away.

Step 11

To make the maple glaze, place all the ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil.

Step 12

Boil the mixture for 1 minute before carefully removing from the heat and allowing to cool slightly.

Step 13

Once the pumpkin rolls have cooled, brush them all over with the maple glaze, and garnish with a slither of pecan nut and mint leaf.

Step 14

To make the cream cheese spread, beat together the cream cheese, double cream and icing sugar until smooth and combined. Place in a small ramekin and serve alongside the pumpkin rolls.