Recipe: Row 7 Seeds Koginut Squash Brioche Buns

(or a loaf, you decide)

TKTKTK details to come!

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Row 7 Seeds Koginut Squash Brioche Buns

Makes eight ~65g buns (or one 9x4-inch pan loaf)

Koginut Squash Brioche Buns

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BEFORE YOU BAKE:

• While this recipe provides instructions for baking just one small squash, you can bake as many as you like and simply reserve 120g squash for the bread.

• While I developed this using Row 7’s Koginut Squash, it’s only available here in the Northeast. But you can use any other bright orange, firm-fleshed squash like butternut or acorn too.

• If you use pre-cooked, refrigerated squash, soften the butter on the counter before attempting to stir it in, and skip the subsequent squash paste chilling step.

• The dough can also be divided into two 265g or six 88g pieces, shaped into balls, and set side by side in a 9x4x4-inch loaf pan, if desired. (Use 450g dough for an 8.5x4.5-inch pan.) Extend the bake time to 35 to 45 minutes for pan loaves.

• You can double it too, but use a stand mixer instead of a food processor. In step 5, beat the egg and squash paste together with a paddle until smooth, then switch to the dough hook, add the milk and dry ingredients, and knead on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. In step 6, knead on medium speed until a smooth dough forms, 6 to 8 minutes.
  
  

OVERALL FORMULA

squash 43%

butter 10%

milk 16%

whole egg 18%

yeast 1.4%

bread flour 100%

salt 2%

SQUASH

1 small (about 1 ½ pounds) Robin’s Koginut squash (or equivalent)

vegetable oil

DOUGH

120g (½ cup) cooked squash, hot (from above)

28g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces

45g (3 tablespoons) milk or plant milk

50g (1 large) egg

280g (2 cups) bread flour

4g (1 teaspoon) instant yeast

6 grams (1 teaspoon fine) salt

BAKE

1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water and a pinch of salt

2 tablespoons raw pepitas, chopped coarsely

1. SQUASH: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425˚F. Use a spoon to pry the stem from the squash and then halve squash lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and discard. Carefully poke 4 to 5 equally-spaced, 1/4-inch wide knife slits in each squash through the skin and into the seed cavity.

2. Coat a small baking sheet with oil. Place the squash halves cut face down on pan and transfer to oven. Bake until the squash is tender and offers no resistance when pierced with a paring knife, about 30 minutes.

3. DOUGH: Allow the squash to cool slightly, then scoop 120g of it into a bowl or measuring cup. Add the butter to the top of the squash, cover the container loosely, and let sit for 30 minutes.

4. Stir the butter into the squash paste, then transfer to the fridge until cool, about 1 hour (and up to 3 days).

5. Transfer the squash paste to the bowl of a food processor. Add the egg and process until a smooth paste forms, 10 to 20 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the milk, yeast and bread flour to the bowl, and process until combined and no dry flour remains visible, 20 to 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes.

6. Add the salt and process until a smooth dough forms and the sides of the processor bowl are clean, about 30 seconds.

7. Transfer the dough to a medium bowl, cover loosely, and let sit at 75˚F (24°C) for 45 minutes. Using lightly-moistened hands, knead the dough in the bowl until smooth and taut, 20 to 30 seconds. Cover and continute to proof until dough is about 1-1/2 times in volume, 30 to 75 minutes longer. (If you want, cover the dough tightly and put it into the fridge for up to 24 hours at this point. Remove the dough from the fridge 30 minutes before shaping the rolls, to let it warm up.)

8. ROLLS: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Divide into 8 equally-sized pieces, about 65g each. Form each piece into a taut round.

9. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment and grease its inner side walls. Set one ball in the center of the pan, then evenly space the remaining rounds around it in a circle, close enough that they just kiss each other (they should be a little closer to the center ball than the sides of the pan). Cover the pan loosely and let rise at room temperature until the rolls are about doubled in volume and all of the balls touch each other, 45 to 90 minutes.

10. BAKE: At least 20 minutes before the breads are fully risen, set an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325°F (or 300˚F with convection).

11. Brush the exposed surfaces of the rolls gently with the egg wash. Let sit for 5 minutes, then repeat. Top with the pumpkin seeds.

12. Bake the rolls until their top crusts are deep golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes. (If you like to temp your breads, aim for an internal temperature of 200˚F/94˚C.)

13. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the rolls from the pan and serve, or let cool to room temperature and transfer to an enclosed container until ready to. (The buns are best served within 24 hours of baking.)