A few years ago, I was definitely afraid of baking breads at home. If a recipe called for yeast, I would usually bypass it.

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But after finding some foolproof recipes to try and finally coming up with our perfect basic bread, it doesn’t scare me anymore! I’ve thrown away enough batches of dough that it just doesn’t feel like a big deal anymore. The dough doesn’t rise? Oh well. Dump it out and start over.

So when Red Star Yeast contacted me about their new product, Red Star Yeast Platinum Superior Baking Yeast–a yeast they tote as being forgiving and simple to use, I couldn’t wait to try it. They promised it would give professional results EVERY single time – quite a promise, right?

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But I’ll tell you something – I’ve never had my bread rise as quick or bake as evenly as it did with this Platinum yeast. The dough improvers in this yeast help make your bread turn out even better than normal. And, lucky for us, the Platinum yeast is supposed to be great when working with whole grains, and that’s normally what I bake with, so I’m really excited to try this out in all of our favorite recipes. They’ve got a ton of helpful information on their website about how to use the yeast and lots of great recipes to get you started, too.

Bread isn’t as hard to make as you think it is! I promise.

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I’d been wanting to try a yeasted pumpkin bread for months now, and this gave me the perfect reason to finally do it. I’ve made pumpkin quick breads and used pumpkin in the filling, but I wanted pumpkin everywhere: in the dough AND in the filling.

The dough is soft and orange and the filling is spicy and then topped with dark chocolate chips. It’s the perfect fall bread and makes for good toast in the morning or a sweet slice for dessert.

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So, the giveaway!

One winner will receive: A VIP sample package that includes samples of yeast, coupons for the yeast, a cutting board and apron. The winner of the giveaway on BranAppetit will also be entered into a grand prize drawing for a ‘Platinum’ KitchenAid Mixer!

To Enter (Required Entry): Leave a comment on this post telling me what you would bake with Red Star Platinum

For Extra Entries (Please leave a separate comment for each, letting me know you did them, or they will not count):


1. “Like” BranAppetit on Facebook .
2. Follow @branappetit on Twitter.
3. Follow BranAppetit on Pinterest.
4. Follow Red Star Yeast on Twitter.
5. “Like” Red Star Yeast on Facebook.
6. Tweet about this giveaway: “Win a VIP package of #RedStarPLATINUM from @branappetit & @RedStarYeast! Enter to win! http://bit.ly/WDnU47”

There’s lot of chances to win!

Giveaway will close at midnight EST on Monday, October 29th 2012. Good luck!

Winner will be contacted via the email address used to leave a comment on this blog post. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. Open to US residents over the age of 18 only. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook in any way. No purchase necessary to enter. Prize will be shipped by Red Star Yeast.

his post is sponsored by Red Star Yeast but all opinions, as always, are 100% my own.

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Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Swirl Bread

Makes: 2 loaves, 12-16 slices per loaf

Ingredients:

  • 4 and 1/2 tsp Red Star Platinum Yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 15 oz. can pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup milk, warmed
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 Tbsp neutral oil (canola, safflower, etc)
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 cups bread flour
  • 3 cups whole wheat flour

Filling:

  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or other large bowl), mix the yeast and warm water together and let it sit for 5 minutes until the mixture looks creamy.
  2. Blend the pumpkin, warmed milk, beaten eggs, oil, maple syrup and salt into the yeast and water.
  3. Pour the 3 cups of bread flour into the pumpkin mixture and knead together. Add the whole wheat flour 1 cup at a time until the flour is completely mixed in and the dough is soft and silky. If it still feels really sticky, add a little more flour.
  4. Dump the dough into an oiled bowl, then cover it and let it rise for about an hour or until it’s doubled.
  5. Punch the dough down and divide into 2 equal halves. Roll one piece out into a rectangle.
  6. Mix the 2/3 cup pumpkin together with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger. Spread half of the pumpkin spice mixture over the rectangle of dough and sprinkle with half of the chocolate chips.
  7. Roll the rectangle up and place in a greased loaf pan. Repeat with the second piece of dough, using the rest of the filling and chocolate chips.
  8. Cover the loaves and let them rise for another 30-45 minutes.
  9. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes until the top is golden and they sound hollow when you tap on them.

184 comments

  1. Hello-
    I would bake my no-knead bread. A few simple ingredients and a 48 hour rise in a bowl on your counter and you have an awesome rustic round loaf of bread just 25 minutes later. Nice and crackled chewy crunchy top and a soft chewy inside. Absolute love this recipe! I’d love to see how this new yeast would work! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes. Can’t wait to try this new pumpkin bread, LOVE anything with pumpkin!

  2. Mmmm I adore pumpkin bread, I can only imagine how amazing your kitchen smelled as this was in the oven :) I’m always a little worried about making bread myself, I’ll have to see if I find this yeast in Ontario and give it a try.

  3. I would bake some yeasted waffles because I’ve never had them before

  4. I like you on Facebook

  5. I follow you on Twitter

  6. I follow you on Pinterest

  7. I follow Red Star Yeast on Twitter

  8. I like Red Star Yeast on Facebook

  9. I tweeted about the giveaway

  10. I would bake cinnamon rolls!

  11. I follow you on Pinterest.

  12. I would try my favorite bread machine potato bread.

  13. I would try this recipe, for sure! I might add some golden raisins in the swirl as well (:

  14. I recently began making artisan style breads in my dutch oven. I would try Red Star Platinim yeast for that.

  15. I would make some rosemary and olive oil bread. Or some Brioche bread.

  16. I like BranAppetit on Facebook.

  17. I follow @branappetit on Twitter.

  18. I already like Red Star Yeast on Facebook.

  19. I also already follow Red Star Yeast on Twitter.

  20. I follow BranAppetit on Pinterest as well.

  21. Lastly, I tweeted about the giveaway @cstinaroth. Here’s the URL for the tweet: https://twitter.com/cstinaroth/status/260412339004784640

  22. Oh, I love a good cinnamon raisin swirl bread!

  23. I follow you on twitter

  24. I follow you on Pinterest

  25. I would try cinnamon rolls. I have to say I am somewhat intimidated by yeast. Thanks for the chance.

  26. I follow you on Facebook.

  27. I follow you on Twitter.

  28. Brandi
    What a great recipe! It would be so much easier to make if I had that Kitchen Aid mixer. I need to make 10-12 loaves of Raisin Challah by Sunday for a charity event . I think I’ll need a hand massage if I do all of it by hand! So winning the Kitchen Aid might not save me for Sunday but it will certainly help in the future.

  29. Brandi
    I follow you on Twitter

  30. Brandi
    I also follow you on Facebook!

  31. I “liked” the Red Yeast page on Facebook!

  32. Brandi,
    I follow you on Twitter too!

  33. Brandi
    I follow Red Star Yeast on Twitter.

  34. WHat beautiful loaves! W

  35. I would make my Farmhouse bread recipe! Super delicious. :) Didn’t even know I was good at making bread until that recipe.

  36. I would like to try making pizza dough from scratch. I’ve never done it before :)

  37. I follow Red Star Yeast on Twitter!

  38. Awesome! That is *exactly* what I need haha :P After many years of failed bread baking attempts with my BFF on Saturday mornings after a sleepover, I need to try this! We never had yeast at our house so our breads were as hard as a brick! I’d make something with apple or pumpkin for the fall season :)

  39. I liked BranAppetit on FB!

  40. I liked BranAppetit on Twitter!

  41. I can’t enter because I’m not in the US but that looks amazing! I wish we had Red Star yeast over here. You’d think yeast is yeast but it’s really not. None of the Americans over here can get the German stuff to work with our bread recipes. It’s weird. Love that you put pumpkin in the filling and bread. :)

  42. I would make THIS bread! Looks so delicious! I also would use it to make a pizza :)

  43. I would bake Banana Bread

  44. I’d love to see what this does for my standby whole wheat sandwich bread!

  45. crescent rolls

  46. I’d finally break down and try my hand at baking some gluten-free bread

  47. If I won this I would definitely try making your pumpkin swirl bread minus the chocolate chips! (I just can’t stand chocolate in baked goods!)

  48. Now following you on Twitter @BlueberriesOats

  49. I’d make pizza dough and cinnamon rolls:-) And I have to say, this looks so good too!

  50. I’d love to make peanut butter banana bread with the red star!!

  51. Followed bran appetit on facebook!

  52. Following on twitter!

  53. Following on pinterest :-)

  54. Following red star on twitter

  55. I liked red star on facebook.

  56. I tweeted about the giveaway.

  57. I’d like to bake some cinnamon rolls

  58. I follow you on twitter @amylou61

  59. I follow you on Pinterest as Amy Leach

  60. I follow Red Star on twitter @amylou61

  61. i’d probably go with some pumpkin cinnamon rolls :) what can i say, it’s a yearly tradition!

  62. and I follow you on twitter!

  63. 1. “Like” BranAppetit on Facebook

  64. 2. Follow @branappetit on Twitter.

  65. 3. Follow BranAppetit on Pinterest.

  66. 4. Follow Red Star Yeast on Twitter.

  67. 5. “Like” Red Star Yeast on Facebook.

  68. I would bake some cinnamon raisin bread.

  69. I liked you on FB

  70. I would try your Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Swirl Bread

  71. I have been wanting to make my own cinnamon swirl bread instead of buying it – with some whole wheat added in.

  72. I like Red Star Yeast on FB

  73. I like Bran appetit on FB.

  74. I would definitely try making this pumpkin bread! I’ve never worked with yeast before because I’ve been too nervous! This product would be perfect for me!

  75. I would make fluffy potato rolls!

  76. My roomate is gluten free and I am trying to eat gluten free in support of her new wheat-allergy diagnosis, as well as for my own personal health! However, i miss the fact that she is never able to tuck into an indlugent, truly delicious loaf of bread anymore, so I would use this kit to try to figure out a really great recipe for gluten free bread- that way I wont feel guilty about being the only one able to eat a delicious bread recipe and she can finally have some good bread again! :)

  77. I finally give homemade pizza a whirl!

  78. I would love to make a warm loaf of Rosemary Bread! :)

  79. With this yeast, I think I would finally be brave enough to try and make my own bread!!!

  80. I follow you on Pinterest.

  81. I like you on Facebook :)

  82. I bought and used Red Star Platinum for the first time yesterday with some wheat bread – AMAZING! stuff!

    I want more Platinum!

  83. This bread sounds so yummy…going to try it this week and hope to find the red star yeast to use. My husband is not a big chocolate fan though so he has requested caramel chips. I’ve followed you on pinterest and also liked you on fb.

  84. I would perfect almost no knead bread in my Le Creuset.

  85. Following on Pinterest

  86. I would make pizza dough- homemade is always better than delivery (and Digiorno)

  87. Follow you on twitter

  88. Follow you on Pintrest

  89. Follow Red Star Yeast on twitter

  90. Love, love pumpkin! I would make raised crescent rolls for Thanksgiving Dinner.
    P.S. love your blog :)

  91. My holiday cranberry wheat bread. It has canned whole cranberries and cranberry juice in the recipe. A favorite and tradition in our house

  92. i’m dying to make some brioche!!

  93. You got me when I saw the pumpkin chocolate chip bread on the red star yeast site when I liked it on Facebook. I also liked you on facebook.

  94. I am looking forward to buying the Red Star Platinum Yeast to make pizza dough!

  95. I follow branappetit on Twitter

  96. I follow Red Star Yeast on Twitter

  97. I Tweeted about the giveaway

  98. I follow you now on Pinterest

  99. I would love to try baking some whole grain bread for sandwiches!

  100. And I follow you on Pinterest!

  101. i’d love to make this bread! pumpkin and chocolate are the best combo :)

  102. I love to bake with yeast. I would make raised doughnuts! I’m definitely craving doughnuts this time of the year!

  103. I’m following you on Pintrest!

  104. Great giveaway! I’d make some chocolate chip banana bread!

    Seasidesmitten@aol.com

  105. I would make a kringle and then try my hand at cinnamon rolls–they usually come out too dry.

  106. I’d love to make some homemade dinner rolls at thanksgiving with the Red Star Yeast!

  107. I like Branappetit on facebook

  108. I follow @branappetit on twitter

  109. I follow branappetit on pinterest

  110. I like red star yeast on facebook

  111. I follow red star yeast on twitter

  112. I would love to make some cinnamon rolls with my mother in laws family recipe.

  113. I would bake cinnamon rolls

  114. Pumpkin Bread

  115. I like red star on facebook

  116. I’d make cinnamon rolls

  117. I would totally bake Challah every shabbat with Red Star yeast! I like Red star on Facebook, and follow them on twitter. I like bran appetite on facebook and follow you on twitter too!!!! Love you.

  118. I liked BranAppetit on facebook

  119. If I had some yeast right now, I would probably be making Cinnamon Rolls from scratch. Most likely with some cream cheese frosting :)

  120. following on Brandi on pinterest

  121. I would bake this Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Bread….I love Pumpkin and Chocolate….how can this miss…

  122. following on twitter

  123. I Like Branappetit on Facebook

  124. I, as well, have a fear of baking with yeast. Unless, of course, it’s with a bread machine (which in that case I’m not actually doing anything). I’m glad I found your blog….I’m hoping it will help me overcome this fear so not only I will benefit, but so will my family. Thank you.

  125. I “Like” BranAppetit on Facebook .

  126. I Follow @branappetit on Twitter. @immortalb4

  127. I Follow @branappetit on Twitter.

  128. I Follow BranAppetit on Pinterest.

  129. I Follow Red Star Yeast on Twitter.

  130. I “Like” Red Star Yeast on Facebook.

  131. I Follow BranAppetit on Pinterest-immortalb4

  132. I Follow Red Star Yeast on Twitter @immortalb4

  133. I liked BranAppetit on fb and Tweeted

  134. I think I would probably try my hand at potica. It’s a difficult, time-consuming recipe, and I’ve never made it before, but you have to start somewhere!

    glycine.max at gmail.com

  135. I “Like” Red Star Yeast on Facebook.

  136. I “like” Red Star on Facebook.

    glycine.max at gmail.com

  137. I “like” your page on Facebook.

    glycine.max at gmail.com

  138. First off, I would make the above bread. I will try it without the platinum rather than waiting for it to hit the shelves here. But I’d also like to try it with my no-knead boule recipe.
    Thanks for the lovely recipe. Can’t wait to try it. Just baked up two pumpkins this weekend and have puree waiting in the wings!

  139. Like Bran Appetit on FB.

  140. Like Red Star Yeast on FB

  141. I would make some sticky sweet Monkey Bread

  142. I want to try to make a yummy cinnamon raisin bread….along with all the other yummy ideas I see in everyones comments

  143. I would make my blue ribbon yeast doughnuts

  144. I would make Challah. I learned the recipe from a Holocaust survivor. Even though I am not Jewish, Six-Braided Challah reminds me of this amazing person.

  145. I would make gluten free bread in my bread maker. I love cinnamon raisin bread, so that would be what I would do with my Red Star Yeast.

  146. I would bake delicious Bosnian bread,
    8 cups white bread flour
    1 Tbsp. salt
    ½ Tbsp. Red Star Platinum yeast
    4 – 4½ cups warm water.
    Mix all ingredients together with one hand. Dough will be very soft and sticky but not soupy. Cover with wet warm cloth and let rest 3–8 hours or overnight.
    Grease loaf pans generously (2 bigger or 3 smaller).
    Stir dough down.
    Scrape/pour dough into loaf pans.
    (For softer, browner crust, rub oil on top of dough with hands at this point.)
    Let rest again for 20–30 minutes.
    To bake, put into cold oven, then turn to 500°F for 15 minutes only.
    Turn oven down to 300°F and bake 45 minutes longer or until brown. Cuts more easily if cooled. :D

  147. Facebook follower

  148. Following Red Star Yeast on Facebook

  149. I would like to make multi grain bread

  150. I would like to make multi grain bread or cinnamon rolls

  151. I am following you on Twitter

  152. I am following Red Star Yeast on twitter.

  153. I would like to bake that pumpkin bread. It looks delicious!

  154. i liked you on Facebook

  155. I followed you on Pinerest

  156. I followed Red Star Yest on Twitter

  157. I liked Red Star Yeast on Facebook

  158. I tweeted about this giveaway

  159. I would make some yummy Yeast rolls

  160. I like Bran Appetit on Facebook

  161. I follow Bran Appetit on Twitter

  162. I follow Bran Appetit on Pinterest

  163. I follow Red Star on Facebook

  164. I follow Red Star on Twitter

  165. I follow you on Facebook !

  166. I follow Bran Appetit on Pinterest !

  167. I follow Red Star on Facebook !

  168. I would make some Yummy Gluten Free bread!

  169. I’d make a big batch of Angel Biscuits….mmmmmmm. You can eat them with everything!

  170. I “liked” BranAppetit.

  171. I already “liked” Red Star yeast a looooong time ago…does that still count? I hope so!
    Love,
    Vickie

  172. On this cold dreary autumn day I am dreaming of a loaf of rye bread to complement the chicken soup we will have at dinner.

Comments are closed.