Bread with Butter Substitute

Let's see, why haven't I been posting?  It started with a lot of meals out for my birthday, and their leftovers.  I also wanted to get my laundry room repainted before the new washer & dryer arrived.  Then I was cleaning for Passover and was too tired to do any elaborate cooking, or to write about it.  Then I was just making random stuff to use up the chometz and kitniyot so I wouldn't have to stash as much of it, most of it on greens from the garden as a cobbled together salad.

But I did find the last of the can of prune filling from the hamantaschen, which contains corn syrup.  For the heck of it, and because I'm out of molasses, I decided to make some bread using it as a substitute for both butter and sugar.  What resulted was slightly sweet, yet somewhat savory from the buckwheat, and actually did taste slightly of the prune.  The touch of fruity aroma made this a good bread to have with a mild white cheese like brie, or slathered with real butter (totally defeating the butter-free aspect).

*1/2 C milk
*2 Tb prune butter substitute
1 tsp yeast
*1/2 C buckwheat or whole wheat flour
*1 to 1-1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt

1.  Warm milk and prune purée to 100º.  Stir in yeast and allow to sit until foamy, about five minutes.

2.  In mixer, combine buckwheat flour and 1/2 C white flour.  Pour in milk mixture and beat into a batter on medium for 2 minutes.  Add salt and another half cup of flour and beat again into a thick batter or light dough.

3.  Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface.  Knead until smooth, adding as little flour as possible.  Because of the purée and buckwheat, it's going to be sticky longer than usual.  The dough almost behaves as though it had egg in it.  Place into a lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat all sides.  Set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.

4.  Punch down dough and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  Either form into a round loaf or cut into pieces for rolls.  Place on baking sheet and allow to rise for another 45 minutes.

5.  Preheat oven to 350º.  If desired, brush tops with butter.  I misted the rolls with water to delay crust formation.  Bake until hollow when tapped, about 15 minutes for rolls and 20 to 25 minutes for a loaf.  Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Difficulty rating  :)