Winter Squash Wheat Bread

If you've never made bread at home before, this is a great recipe to try, especially in the Fall. Also makes great sandwich bread for those Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwiches! Inspired by Whole Natural Good's Whole Wheat Butternut Squash Bread.

 5 tsp Active Dry Yeast (2 packages)
 1/2 cup warm-to-touch-but-not-hot water (110F max)
 1.5 cups milk
 4 tbsp melted and cooled butter
 1/2 cup honey
 1 cup cooked, mashed winter squash -- acorn, butternut, hubbard, kabocha
 1 teaspoon salt
 2 eggs, separated white and yolk
 1 cup spelt flour
 3 cups Stutzman wheat flour (any variety), separated
 2 cups all-purpose flour, separated

1

Slice squash in half, cook cut side down with a little water in a 375 degree oven for 35-45 minutes. Scoop flesh out from skin, discard skin, and allow to cool slightly.

2

Mix the yeast and the warm water in a glass or ceramic dish for about 5 minutes, till it's bubbling a bit and frothy.

3

Mix almost all dry ingredients: spelt flour, 2 cups of the wheat flour, 1 cup of the white flour (you'll need the other 2 cups of flour when kneading), and the salt.

4

Mix the wet ingredients together: the yeast mixture, the milk, the egg whites, the melted and cooled butter, the honey and the squash purée.

5

In your largest bowl, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet. Start to mix by folding from the bottom of the bowl to the top, and begin to add more flour so it's not too wet.

6

Turn this big ole mess onto a clean countertop and begin to knead. Have extra flour on the countertop that you can add in when it gets too sticky. You can also add some olive or sunflower oil to your hands as you knead to prevent too much sticking. Knead for 10 minutes by hand (if you're using a dough hook in a standing mixer, reduce time to 5 minutes.)

7

Allow to rest on the counter 10 minutes while you wash your hands and wash your big bowl out. Splash a little oil in the bowl. Plop the whole huge dough mound in the bowl and turn it a few times to coat it in oil. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 1.5 hours in a warm-ish spot not in direct sunlight.

8

Once it's risen to appx twice it's size, turn it back out onto the countertop and punch it down to the release any gas. Give it 3-5 kneads, and then cut it in half.

9

Take each ball and start forming "boules" or round loaves: start curling the sides of dough from the top out and under, wrapping underneath. You're forming a seam on the bottom as you go and a smooth top, like a drum. After you've done this a few times, pinch the seal shut on the bottom. You want to make a smooth top surface-- here is a good video showing the method.

10

Let each boule in a bowl or basket with a little flour. Place a warm kitchen towel on top for 45 more minutes. Turn your oven to 400 (extra credit, place a shallow dish of water underneath the baking rack where the bread will go. This helps develop crust.)

11

Once the breads have risen again, place in their baking dishes (I used circle cake pans, but use whatever fits!) Slash the tops a few times with a sharp knife at an angle. Then paint the egg yolks on top, and crack on a little salt.

12

Place both loaves right into the oven and seal quickly to avoid too much steam from escaping. After 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 350 and bake another 20 minutes. Take a peak-- they should have risen and started to develop a golden crust. After they've cooled a few minutes, release a loaf from it's pan and knock on the bottom-- if it sounds hollow, it's done.

13

Allow to cool at least 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Ingredients

 5 tsp Active Dry Yeast (2 packages)
 1/2 cup warm-to-touch-but-not-hot water (110F max)
 1.5 cups milk
 4 tbsp melted and cooled butter
 1/2 cup honey
 1 cup cooked, mashed winter squash -- acorn, butternut, hubbard, kabocha
 1 teaspoon salt
 2 eggs, separated white and yolk
 1 cup spelt flour
 3 cups Stutzman wheat flour (any variety), separated
 2 cups all-purpose flour, separated

Directions

1

Slice squash in half, cook cut side down with a little water in a 375 degree oven for 35-45 minutes. Scoop flesh out from skin, discard skin, and allow to cool slightly.

2

Mix the yeast and the warm water in a glass or ceramic dish for about 5 minutes, till it's bubbling a bit and frothy.

3

Mix almost all dry ingredients: spelt flour, 2 cups of the wheat flour, 1 cup of the white flour (you'll need the other 2 cups of flour when kneading), and the salt.

4

Mix the wet ingredients together: the yeast mixture, the milk, the egg whites, the melted and cooled butter, the honey and the squash purée.

5

In your largest bowl, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet. Start to mix by folding from the bottom of the bowl to the top, and begin to add more flour so it's not too wet.

6

Turn this big ole mess onto a clean countertop and begin to knead. Have extra flour on the countertop that you can add in when it gets too sticky. You can also add some olive or sunflower oil to your hands as you knead to prevent too much sticking. Knead for 10 minutes by hand (if you're using a dough hook in a standing mixer, reduce time to 5 minutes.)

7

Allow to rest on the counter 10 minutes while you wash your hands and wash your big bowl out. Splash a little oil in the bowl. Plop the whole huge dough mound in the bowl and turn it a few times to coat it in oil. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 1.5 hours in a warm-ish spot not in direct sunlight.

8

Once it's risen to appx twice it's size, turn it back out onto the countertop and punch it down to the release any gas. Give it 3-5 kneads, and then cut it in half.

9

Take each ball and start forming "boules" or round loaves: start curling the sides of dough from the top out and under, wrapping underneath. You're forming a seam on the bottom as you go and a smooth top, like a drum. After you've done this a few times, pinch the seal shut on the bottom. You want to make a smooth top surface-- here is a good video showing the method.

10

Let each boule in a bowl or basket with a little flour. Place a warm kitchen towel on top for 45 more minutes. Turn your oven to 400 (extra credit, place a shallow dish of water underneath the baking rack where the bread will go. This helps develop crust.)

11

Once the breads have risen again, place in their baking dishes (I used circle cake pans, but use whatever fits!) Slash the tops a few times with a sharp knife at an angle. Then paint the egg yolks on top, and crack on a little salt.

12

Place both loaves right into the oven and seal quickly to avoid too much steam from escaping. After 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 350 and bake another 20 minutes. Take a peak-- they should have risen and started to develop a golden crust. After they've cooled a few minutes, release a loaf from it's pan and knock on the bottom-- if it sounds hollow, it's done.

13

Allow to cool at least 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Winter Squash Wheat Bread

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