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Green Squash Bread

Cold fermented, soft white bread using green winter squash. This recipe makes one loaf of bread
Course Bread
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup/80g green winter squash (boiled and mashed)
  • 1/2 cup/110g reserved squash cooking water
  • 2 1/2 cup/300g all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour for mixing in during kneading process
  • 3 tbsp/40g butter, softened
  • 2 rounded tbsp/30g white sugar
  • 3/4 tsp/5-6g salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp/5g active dry yeast
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg yoke *optional

Instructions

  • All ingredients (except flour and butter) should be COLD.
    In a large bowl combine the squash, squash water, salt, sugar, yeast, egg and butter. Mix as well as you can. Butter will be a bit chunky looking (that's okay).
  • Add 2 1/2 cups of flour and mix to a dough in the bowl.
  • Move the dough to a lightly floured surface and KNEAD for 8 minutes gradually adding flour from your reserved 1/2 cup as needed.
  • Once the dough is smooth and elastic, shape the dough into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

The next day

  • Flatten the dough on a lightly floured surface and shape into an oval. Roll the dough into a log (starting at the narrower end and squeezing out any air bubbles as you go).
  • Pinch the seam together and place the log (seam side down) into a greased loaf pan.
  • Press the log down into the bottom of the pan.
  • Cover the pan with a damp towel and allow the dough to RISE until double (about 3 hours)
  • In the last hour of rising:

Preheat oven to 320° F

  • optional: You can put a pizza/baking stone or a cast iron skillet or griddle on the oven rack to preheat also. Placing your bread pan on this during baking can add to a more well browned crust and aid in more even baking.
  • After the bread has risen until double. Brush the top with egg yolk.
  • Bake for 40 minutes
  • Let your bread rest for 5 minutes (on the counter on a rack) then remove the bread from the loaf pan and let it cool.

Notes

Freezing instructions: Once you have kneaded the bread for 8 minutes and have a nice smooth dough. Shape it into a ball and rub it with a thin coat of olive oil or butter. Slide the dough ball into a freezer zipper bag (or two) and freeze. It will keep nicely in the freezer for 3 months. Two days before you plan to use the dough. Remove it from the freezer bag and place it into a greased/buttered bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and allow to thaw in the fridge for two days. After that, shape the dough and let rise for 3 hours and bake as instructed.
If you wish to make rolls, please watch the time on your baking, as it will most likely take less time then a loaf. I'm not sure what that time is, so keep an eye on things!