Pumpkin toña

How to make pumpkin toña .

La Toña is a typical sweet bread from Alicante and Murcia, although it is consumed practically throughout the Spanish Levante.

There are many variants depending on the area or region in which it is produced. On the blog you will also find Toña de patata , so traditional at Easter . This one that we bring today, the pumpkin toña, is typical of the southern area of ​​Alicante.

Its flattened shape and the dark golden color of its rind are reminiscent of Pan Burning , but its crumb is completely different. Much more fluffy, light and aromatic.

To make the dough for pumpkin toña it is necessary to have pumpkin puree . We like to cook a whole pumpkin, let it drain well and mash it.

With this we prepare several tupers and freeze. So we always have pumpkin puree on hand to make this recipe and many others. And if we have something left over because the recipe does not require as much as we have thawed, we add it to a vegetable cream and that’s it.

Of all the sweet breads and pastries we have shared with you over the years, this pumpkin toña is one of our favorite desserts .

We have never tasted the fluffiest crumb ever and you know we have tried many! That you do not lazy the waiting time of the levados, take advantage of it to do other things, and give this wonder a chance.

It is the perfect breakfast or snack, accompanied by your favorite drink. It’s yummy.

Preparation of the dough

1. We divide the flour into two parts, separating 1/4 of it to add later.
2. We place the 3/4 of flour, previously sifted, in a wide and deep container.
3. We make a hole in the center and add the sugar, beaten eggs and a pinch of salt.
4. We remove a little incorporating part of the flour, to form a light porridge in the center.
5. Next we add the pumpkin puree, the oil and the fresh crumbled baker’s yeast. We remove with the help of a spoon or fork until obtaining a homogeneous and sticky mass.
6. We cover the container with a clean kitchen cloth and let it rest for an hour.
7. After the resting time, add the rest of the flour and knead until the dough has become elastic, manageable and shiny, with no traces of lumps.
8. This is better done on a work surface than inside the bowl and can take a few minutes, but with patience you can do it so you don’t give up.

Rest of the dough of the pumpkin Toña

1. We return the dough to the bowl and cover it again with the kitchen cloth.
2. Let the dough rest overnight in the fridge. Gluten will develop equally, but more slowly due to the low temperature effect.
3. If you are in a hurry, we can let the dough rise again to room temperature for the time necessary for it to double in volume.

Toña shape

1. The next morning we remove the dough from the fridge and, without letting it warm, divide it into four portions.
2. We can grease our hands with a little oil so that it does not stick to us, but it may not be necessary.
3. We roll each portion of the dough, place on a baking sheet covered with vegetable paper or a silicone mat, lightly crush with the palm of your hand and cover again with a clean cloth.
4. We let it rise a third (and last) time for about an hour. The dough has to grow more to the sides than up.

Baking of pumpkin toña. Final presentation

1. When they are ready to go into the oven, brush with beaten egg mixed with a splash of milk.
2. We will do it gently so as not to deform the toñas.
3. We cook in the oven, preheated to 180º C with heat up and down, for 14-15 minutes or until golden and well cooked inside.
4. We remove the tray from the oven, let cool slightly before sprinkling with icing sugar and serve.

They are fresh and lukewarm, but they are still enjoyed after a couple of hours and in the cold.

I encourage you to try making this sweet at home, nothing to do with the purchased. You can see all the photos of the step by step of this recipe for pumpkin Toña  in this album.

Tips for perfect pumpkin toñas

• In order for the dough to be thin it is important that the pumpkin puree does not have stumbles. For this, after cooking the pumpkin or roasting it, it is convenient to crush it with a hand mixer or with a fork and then pass it through a Chinese.
• Beware of baking. These toñas brown very quickly and it may seem that they are ready to be removed, but do not pay attention to the color. Let them meet the indicated cooking time by covering them with a sheet of aluminum foil.
• The pumpkin brings incredible juiciness to the dough. It can be substituted for sweet potato or potato. It is a good recipe to dispose of remains that we can have in the fridge.
• Always have frozen pumpkin puree in small tupers and you can make these toñas and many more traditional sweets.
• They last in perfect condition for 2-3 days, stored in an airtight container, although they will surely fly from your kitchens in less than 24 hours.