Chai-spiced pumpkin streusel bread...in pictures

I'll bet you're busy with Thanksgiving preparations. Do you have time to read a long, heartfelt post about Thanksgiving? No.

Do I have time to write one? No. I've got candied yams and cranberry sauce to make. Instead of foisting a lengthy hunk of written word on you, I'll show you how to make chai-spiced pumpkin streusel bread. In pictures. Give your brain a break today!


First, assemble the best ingredients you've got. I scrounged up organic brown sugar, unsalted Rose Valley butter, sea salt, Stash tea, Oregon hazelnuts and my favorite Kansas flour, Hudson Cream (which I found it at The Dollar Tree, of all places.)


Don't forget the pumpkin! You'll use a whole can of pumpkin puree for this bread; spring for the good stuff.


Grease two loaf pans and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Steep 4 - 6 bags of chai tea in 3/4 cup hot water. I chose double spice Stash tea for extra punch, but you don't have to live that dangerously.

This photo is an excuse to showcase my 1970s mixing bowls

Stir together the dry ingredients (flour, salt, spices, optional dry chai mix) in a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil/butter, tea concentrate and pumpkin in another bowl.


Whisking helps offset the calories from the mashed potatoes you will eat today. Keep that in mind as you whip together the pumpkin, sugars, and oils.

Whiskin' ain't easy, folks

Pour the wet ingredients into your flour mixture, then stir until just combined.




It's like a lava flow of delicious, isn't it?

At this point I should tip my hat to Lauren, who let me borrow her camera for this baking adventure. She also took half of the photos, in case you wondered how I photographed myself mixing batter with both hands.


Please wait until after pouring the batter into the bread pans to lick the whisk. I'm pretty sure the oven will bake out any cook cooties, but not 100 percent sure.


Divide the batter evenly between the pans, then create the streusel topping. I use my hands to mix together the chopped nuts, butter, sugar and flour in a small bowl. If you're feeling fancy, you could use a pastry cutter for this part.

Sprinkle the streusel on top...


Then bake for 60 - 70 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. While you wait, sneakily eat some batter.

Don't mind me!

You'll know the bread is done when your house smells like fall and a knife inserted into the center of each loaf comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each pan, then turn out onto a cooling rack.

Let the bread cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing . This is the hardest part.


Serve on a pretty plate or wrap up the bread for later.

Happy Thanksgiving, all. I'm so glad I've met you. If we ever meet in person, I'll bake this bread for you and we can enjoy it with coffee.


You can find the full story behind this pumpkin bread here at OPB.

Chai-Spiced Pumpkin Streusel Bread
makes two loaves

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cup organic (if you’ve got it) cane sugar
• ¼ cup powdered chai mix - optional
• 1 cup butter, unprocessed coconut oil or canola oil (I use ½ butter, ½ coconut)
• ⅔ cup hot water and 4 - 6 bags chai tea
• 4 eggs
• 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (about 2 cups)
• 3 ½ cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• ½ tsp. cloves
• ½ - 1 tsp. cardamom

Streusel Topping

• ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup nuts (any combination of walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts), chopped fine
• 2 Tb. flour
• 2 Tb. softened butter

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and steep the tea bags in hot water. Grease two bread pans with butter or oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil and eggs until fluffy and creamy. Stir in pumpkin and chai tea until smooth. In a smaller bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, spices and dry chai mix. Mix the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients, stirring until just combined.

Pour the batter into the bread pans and set aside.

For the streusel topping, mix together the softened butter, brown sugar, flour and chopped nuts in a small bowl. I typically use my hands to work everything together until the butter, flour and sugar have mixed into fine crumbs.

Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top of both loaves and bake for about 60 - 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into each bread’s center comes out clean. Let the loaves cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of each pan. Turn each loaf out onto a cooling rack. Once the bread is cooled, slice with a serrated knife and serve.

To keep the bread for later, wrap each cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil. Keep the bread in the fridge (or freezer) until ready to eat.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

Ms. Rita's banana bread

Apple pie with cranberries

Pumpkin cream cheese muffins

Yes, fall is here

Fall has arrived, folks. I've been trying to deny it, trying to squeeze a few more verdant days out of Portland's pathetic excuse of a summer, but Halloween plopped its pumpkin ass down on my sofa. It gazed quietly into my eyes and whispered, "Fall's here, dude. Can't deny it. Check out the leaves."

Oooh! Nice couch!

A storm of raindrops and a parade of red, orange, and yellow leaves are flying by my window. Trees fling leaves like confetti. I've been pretending not to notice. It's November now. Time to wake up and smell the pumpkin spiced latte.

Thanks to Neighbor Kristen, I even carved a pumpkin and ate roasted pumpkin seeds! Kristen hosted 2011 The Great Pumpkin Carving at her apartment, followed by mulled wine an The Nightmare Before Christmas. Who could resist such a sincere invitation?



That's what I like about fall: the sincerity. We celebrate harvests, press apple cider, honor the spirits of those who came before us, then give thanks for those who are with us. We cuddle up with books, wear warm clothing, and snack our way to the holidays.

Instead of sharing an fall recipe for you, using the hippest ingredients of the season--like fresh nutmeg or caramel apple cider cookies--I'd like to share a few low-key ways my friends and I like to celebrate fall. There's still time for pumpkin lattes, roasted pumpkin seeds, and butternut squash before the holiday haze pushes them out of the way. Snuggle up and enjoy the foliage.


Classic Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

• seeds from a freshly carved pumpkin. (Some grocery stores sell seeds still in the shell, or raw pepitas. These sub nicely.)
• coarsely ground pepper
• Worcestershire sauce
• kosher salt
• butter or olive oil (optional)
  

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lay a sheet of parchment paper in two baking sheets.

Rinse pumpkin seeds under cold water and pick out the pulp. This is easiest to do right after the pumpkin is carved and the pulp hasn't dried onto the seeds. If you've waited, you may want to soak the seeds in warm water to remove the pulp.

Pour the cleaned seeds into a bowl, then stir in Worcestershire sauce, a tablespoon or two of melted butter or olive oil, salt, and cracked pepper. Adjust the seasonings to suit your tastes.

Spread the seeds onto the baking sheets in a single layer. (You may need a third sheet if you carved a large pumpkin!) Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the seeds are toasted, about 25 - 35 minutes. The seeds should be a light golden brown. Serve immediately or let them cool and store in an airtight container.

** Playing with the flavors of roasted pumpkin seeds is half the fun. This version uses Worcestershire sauce to evoke fond holiday memories of Chex Mix, however, I also like to make these with soy sauce.



Neighbor Kristen is the queen of effortless entertaining. She can throw together a holiday fete in minutes, with as little as an open bottle of wine, freshly cooked popcorn, and a well timed mass text message.

Last weekend at the Great Pumpkin Carving, Kristen mulled this wine using her wily simmer-it-'till-you-make-it ways. Many people crash and burn (literally) when they cook on the fly; Kristen always wins when she cooks without script. It's the perfect thing to sip while you dance along to Jack Skellington's antics in Halloween Town.

Now this is Halloween!

Fast Mulled Wine
a la Neighbor Kristen

• 1 bottle of "skunked" - aka opened and unused - red wine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tb. brown sugar if the red wine is particularly dry
  
• 1-2 Tb. mulling spices (Kristen recommends Penzys' brand)
• zest of a fresh orange (optional)
  
• 4 oz. brandy (optional)
  

Whisk wine and sugar(s) together in a large saucepan. Add brandy, mulling spices, and orange zest. Bring the wine to a simmer but do not boil. Let the wine simmer for at least 20 minutes and serve. Mulled wine is also a great crock pot recipe; make a double batch and let it simmer all evening during a holiday party. Guests can sneak up for another ladle-full as needed.

Dr. Brian approves of mulled wine

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:
sweet n' spicy curried nut mix
Cracker Jack peanuts
quickie pumpkin seeds
pumpkin cream cheese muffins