Prime pumpkin breads

LITTLE ROCK — Pumpkin quick breads are of two general types: one distinctly sweet and moist, rich and cakelike; the other mildly sweet and less moist, with a breadlike texture. Either type can be delicious, and the two share a number of ingredients: flour, oil or butter, sweetener, spices, baking powder and pumpkin puree.

While the cakelike version includes granulated and brown sugars, plus raisins, the other version uses only maple syrup and molasses, so its sweetness is more subtle. The other major difference is the kind of flour: Unbleached flour gives the cakelike version a relatively light crumb; the fiber-rich whole-wheat and oat flours in the other quick bread create a denser loaf.

Like virtually all other quick breads, both types of pumpkin bread are easily mixed into a pourable batter, and both take about an hour to bake. Either is good served straight from the oven, although they both taste even better if they're well-wrapped and allowed to "age" for a day before they're sliced and served. Either one is a fine accompaniment for a supper of baked beans or bean soup and a salad.

TIPS

To prepare pumpkin puree, choose a sugar pumpkin or another variety of pie pumpkin with sweet, fine-textured flesh. Jack-o'-lantern pumpkins tend to be poorly flavored.

To bake pumpkin for pureeing, halve it and scrape out seeds and stringy fibers. Place pumpkin, cut side down, in a baking pan; add enough water to cover the bottom by about 1 /8 inch. Bake at 350 degrees until pulp is tender, about 1 1 /2 hours. Remove pumpkin from oven, cool slightly and scrape out pulp, discarding skin.

To steam pumpkin for pureeing, halve or quarter pumpkin and remove skin with a sharp knife. Remove seeds and fibers from interior.

Cut into 2-inch chunks; place in a vegetable steamer and steam over moderately high heat until tender (20 to 30 minutes).

To puree cooked pumpkin, use a food processor or blender. Strain puree well in a finemeshed sieve.

Pumpkin puree can be frozen in an airtight container for up to two months.

Made from whole-wheat and oat flours, this pumpkin bread is wholesome, hearty and satisfying. Orange zest and a generous measure of spices impart aroma, color and flavor to the bread. The taste is not overly sweet, since molasses and maple syrup are the sole sweeteners. Steel-cut oats are hulled oat kernels (groats) that have been sliced but haven't undergone steaming, rolling or pre-cooking.

Whole-wheat pastry flour and steel-cut oats are available at natural food stores and at some larger supermarkets.

Multigrain Pumpkin Quick Bread

Vegetable oil, for coating pan

1 /2 cup steel-cut oats

1 1 /2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (see note)

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground or grated nutmeg

1 /4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 /2 cup maple syrup

1 /4 cup molasses

1 /4 cup safflower OR canola oil OR softened butter

1 egg PLUS 2 egg whites

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 cup cooked pumpkin puree

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 4 1 /2-by-8 1 /2-inch loaf pan.

Place steel-cut oats in blender or food processor; grind moderately fine. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.

In a separate bowl, combine grated ginger, maple syrup, molasses, oil, egg, egg whites, lemon juice, orange zest and pumpkin puree.

Combine dry and liquid ingredients, mixing very lightly. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf, 8 to 10 servings.

Note: If whole-wheat pastry flour is unavailable in your area, substitute 1 cup whole-wheat flour and 1 /2 cup cake flour.

Rich and moist, this quick bread is sweet enough to be served as dessert or as an accompaniment for tea, coffee or warm cider.

Pumpkin-Raisin-Walnut Quick Bread

2 cups unbleached flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 /2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 /4 teaspoon salt

1 /4 teaspoon baking soda

1 /4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 /4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 /4 cup granulated sugar

1 /2 cup chopped walnuts

1 /4 cup raisins

2 eggs

1 /2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup cooked pumpkin puree

1 /2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 /3 cup butter, melted and cooled OR safflower OR canola oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg salt, baking soda, ginger, cloves and granulated sugar. Mix in walnuts and raisins.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs to blend yolks and whites, then beat in brown sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and melted butter. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Spread in a greased, lightly floured 4 1 /2-by-8 1 /2- inch loaf pan.

Bake until loaf is well-browned and a wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf, 8 to 10 servings.