Moist and golden from roasted squash in the dough, this gently spiced, cider-scented bread is a nice accompaniment to soup or salad.
To make the butter: Combine the ingredients in the order listed, stirring until smooth. Set aside.
To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix to make a smooth dough. Knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth and bouncy. Cover the dough and let it rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
To shape: Deflate the risen dough and roll into an 8" x 24" rectangle. Using a sharp knife or pizza wheel, cut the dough into 16 rectangles, 4" x 3" each.
Spread half of each rectangle with 1 teaspoon of the flavored butter and fold in half: crosswise, lengthwise, or diagonally (diagonal folding will yield an attractive "mountainous" appearance). Butter the outside edges and place in a greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, cut side up. Repeat with the remaining squares of dough to fill the pan.
Cover the loaf with greased plastic and let rise for 45 minutes, until puffy-looking. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Uncover the bread and bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the center of the loaf reaches 190°F when measured with a digital thermometer. Tent with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking if the top is browning too quickly. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 15 minutes before pulling off individual pieces to serve warm.
Store any leftovers, well wrapped, at room temperature for a couple of days. Freeze for longer storage.
