100% Whole Wheat Yeasted Zucchini Bread (Vegan)

 Soft and tender crumb, 100% wholegrain zucchini bread has all the goodness and health benefits of zucchini. 

Every baker who loves baking with whole grains keeps experimenting and adding ingredients that make the bread healthier. Zucchini, also known as courgette, is summer squash. Zucchini is rich in several vitamins and minerals and high in antioxidants.

Zucchini does not have a pronounced flavour. This makes it a very good addition to bakes.

Zucchini has high water content and in this recipe, I have pureed zucchini and used it in place of water since that’s mostly what zucchini is made of. And I have also used the autolyse technique to make the bread softer. Autolyse is the simple method of mixing flour with water followed by a period of rest. During this resting period, the flour hydrates fully. Bran moistens and softens reducing its negative effect on gluten formation. The dough becomes smoother and elastic and easier to handle.

Zucchini lends a faint green tint to the bread. The crumb is soft. It toasts well.

Enjoy it with your favourite spread or peanut butter or simply toast it and slather it with butter.

100% Whole Wheat Yeasted Zucchini Bread (Vegan)

Ingredients

• 1 medium-size zucchini
• 3 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unrefined sugar (powdered)
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 2-3 teaspoons water
• 2 teaspoon instant dry yeast

Instructions

1. Wash and dice zucchini. Blend to get a smooth puree. Do not add water to puree zucchini.
2. Measure 1 cup and reserve 3-4 tablespoon extra.
3. Sift whole wheat flour with salt in a large bowl.
4. Make a well in the center. Add sugar, zucchini puree. Add ¾ cup puree only. Mix together all the ingredients. Knead for 7-8 minutes.
5. Whole wheat flour drinks a lot of water. If the dough feels dry or hard, add the remaining puree. The dough should be really soft and supple. Used 1 cup plus a little extra puree.
6. Cover and let rest for 30-35 minutes.
7. Dissolve yeast in 2-3 teaspoons of water. Stretch the dough and add yeast paste. Fold over and add more and repeat until all is used. Drizzle oil. Knead for another 4-5 minutes. The dough will feel sticky initially but will come together and become soft and supple.
8. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. Turn around once so that it is evenly coated with oil. Cover and keep in the warm corner of your kitchen for 1 hour or until double.
9. Grease one 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan.
10. Punch the risen dough and shape it into a loaf. Gently transfer the shaped dough into the loaf pan. Cover and keep to rise for 40-45 minutes or until it reaches the rim of the pan.
11. During the last stages of rising, preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
12. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top turns golden and the loaf pan sounds hollow when tapped at the bottom. Tent with a foil if the top is browning too fast.
13. Transfer to the cooling rack. Slice when cold.

Note: it is my idiosyncrasy as a baker to add yeast and oil later. I feel that the dough rests, bran moistens and softens and it reduces the kneading time. Gluten strands form. This resting phase (autolyse) really helps to get a softer crumb.