• I use my regular no-knead sourdough recipe. But you can use your favorite. These instructions assume you have already made, fermented, and cold-proofed your bread dough.

Preheat and Prepare

• Prepare your dough as you normally would. Shape the dough into a tight ball for a round loaf. When you are ready to bake, preheat a cast iron Dutch oven to the temperature the recipe recommends.
• Leave the dough in the fridge while you prep the supplies.
• Cut 4 pieces of butchers twine about 36-40 inches long. Tie them in a knot in the middle. This will keep them in place as you shape the dough.

Make the Pumpkin Shape

• Remove the dough from the fridge, but keep it in the banneton basket or towel-lined bowl.
• Place the knotted twine vertically across the top of the dough. Make sure the knot is in the center of the dough.
• Spread and align the twine so that it creates 8 equal sections.
• Place a piece of parchment paper over the dough. Make sure the banneton, dough, and string are fully covered.
• Place a cutting board on top of the parchment-covered banneton basket and use it to turn the dough over.
• Rub a light coating of flour on the dough. This will make your scoring stand out and help prevent the butchers twine from sticking. Note: you can skip this step if you prefer a toasted look rather than a white boule (I skipped this part for the main photo in this post).
• If needed, readjust the strings so they are even. Then, grab two strings from opposite ends and tie a knot at the center of the dough. The string should be snug against the dough but shouldn't cut or pinch into it.
• Cut the excess string above the knot.
• Repeat with each string, ensuring the knots are centered on the dough.
• Optional: with a bread lame, add designs to each section on top of the loaf.

Bake the Bread

• Use the parchment paper to transfer the dough to the hot Dutch oven.
• Follow the recipe instructions for baking.
• When the bread is done, transfer it to a wire rack to cool. When it is cool to the touch, remove the string. I usually cut strings at the top and pull them out gently. They can get a little embedded in the bread, but give them a little tug, and they should come out.
• Use a small knife to pop a hole in the center of the dough, and insert half of a cinnamon stick for the stem. Add bay leaves for a cute finishing touch.