Roasted Butternut Squash Maple Millet Bread

Ingredients

STREUSEL TOPPING

⅓ cup (40 g) whole wheat flour

¼ cup (50 g) uncooked millet

¼ cup packed (50 g) dark or light brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

BREAD

Butter and flour, for the loaf pan

3 cups diced peeled butternut squash (about 1 lb/450 g)

1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

2 cups (240 g) whole wheat flour

½ cup (100 g) uncooked millet

Kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 large eggs

4 ounces (115 g) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup (240 g) sour cream

½ cup (120 ml) pure maple syrup

½ cup packed (100 g) light brown sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

MAKE THE STREUSEL: Put the whole wheat flour, millet, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Drop in the butter pieces and, with clean hands, pinch, squeeze, and otherwise knead the butter into the dry ingredients, aiming to form small clumps. This will give the topping its "streusel-y" texture. Set aside in a cool place.

MAKE THE BREAD: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour a 9 x 5 x 3-inch (23 × 12 × 7.5 cm) loaf pan.

Toss the squash with the oil, spread on a baking sheet, and roast until very tender and just slightly browned around the edges, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the whole wheat flour, the millet, 2 teaspoons salt, and the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg in a bowl and set aside.

When the squash is done, let it cool slightly, then puree in a food processor until smooth. Transfer the puree to a mixer bowl and beat in the eggs, melted butter, sour cream, maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the dry ingredients, mixing only until blended

Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Distribute the streusel over the top of the batter, and put the pan on a baking sheet to catch any streusel that might fall off as the cake rises. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Let the loaf cool in the pan on a rack.

Notes

This lightly sweet, very moist snack bread doesn't need anything else to make it wonderful (except perhaps a cup of tea), but that didn't stop me from adding an extra flourish anyway: a topping of buttery sweet streusel, made extra crunchy by the addition of uncooked millet. The streusel would be excellent on a fruit

galette, too, so make a double batch and keep half in the freezer

for your next baking day. —Makes one 9 x 5-inch (23 × 12 cm) loaf

Variations

Apple Maple Millet Bread: Omit the butternut squash. Sauté 4 cups (450 g) diced apple in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter until very soft, then mash with a fork to make a chunky puree. Use instead of the butternut squash puree.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Maple Millet Bread: Omit the butternut squash. Put 2 cups (225 g) sliced rhubarb and 1 cup (150 g) sliced strawberries in a bowl, sprinkle with ¼ cup (50 g) sugar, and leave to macerate for 1 hour. Mash together to form a chunky puree. Use instead of the butternut squash puree.