Bread Recipe: Squash Braid

A friend of mine gave me this bread recipe a few years ago, and it quickly became a favorite of ours. It’s so moist & delicious & it looks so pretty! It has become the item that I generally take to holiday dinners.

Ingredients:

1 Pkg Yeast (2 1/2 tsp.)
2 Tbsp Warm Water (90-115 degrees)
1 Cup Cooked Butternut Squash*
1/3 Cup Warm Milk
1/4 Cup Butter, Softened
1 Egg
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Salt
3 1/2 – 4 Cups All Purpose Flour (I used white whole wheat this time & it came out pretty good.)

Glaze: 1 Egg & 1 Tbsp Water, beaten together

(my mom just set me these measuring spoons…aren’t they adorable?)

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in water. (This is a little tricky with such a small amount of water. Use a fork to mix & don’t worry if it lumps together. Just let it sit for about 5-10 minutes & it will smooth out.)

2. In a mixing bowl, combine squash, milk, butter, egg, brown sugar, & salt; mix with beaters.

3. Add yeast mixture and 1 1/2 cups of flour, mix well.

4. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough, (2 – 2 1/2 cups.) Flip onto floured surface & knead for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed.

5. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to completely cover with grease. Cover & let rise until doubled, about 1 – 1 1/2 hours.

6. Punch down dough, divide into thirds, and roll into 18 inch ropes, (don’t stretch!) Braid ropes together, pinching ends.

7. Let rise on a greased baking sheet, (12” x 17”) until doubled in size.

8. Brush with glaze & bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Let rest, (and admire your work!) about 20 minutes before cutting.

*To cook butternut squash: Cut squash in half & remove seeds. (A grapefruit spoon works great for this if you have one. Place in a baking dish with about 1/2” of water. Microwave on high 8-10 minutes, or until a fork pierces through the flesh easily.