Nothing gives me a greater sense of accomplishment, an-all-is-right-with-the-world moment than watching two loaves of perfectly risen bread making an exit out of my oven.
I always bake my bread on Sunday and it's such a ritual in our home that any suggestion to buy supermarket bread is treated with groans. What makes it so fulfilling for me is that each loaf is packed with nutritional goodness - whole grains, nuts, fruits and no preservatives or unrecognizable junk.
Right here is a perfect example. How can you possibly resist a bread that's not only good for you but with whole wheat, oatmeal, walnut & honey tastes too darn good to be a chockful of healthful?
This bread with its wonderful flavors speaks for itself! And don't just think its just for lunches though it makes a wicked PB&J, it's pretty irresistible toasted and slathered with butter and your fave jam.
Plus forget about all that elbow-grease- kneading and what-not that's all old school babe! Now its as easy as it gets - soak, flour, knead all in the bowl of your electric stand mixer or your super sized mixing bowl.
So get your bread on with me!
Gather the ingredients : 1-1/2 cups boiling water (tea kettle boiling), 1-1/4 cup rolled or quick oats, 3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar, 1-1/2 tbs Agave nectar or honey, 3/4 stick butter, 1-1/4 tablespoon salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 cups whole wheat flour, 5 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or Unbleached bread flour like King Arthur's & 1 cup walnut pieces (broken)Proof the yeast: 1 cups water, lukewarm, 2 tbs dry active yeast & 1/2 tbs sugar
Honey butter glaze : 1 tbs honey or agave nectar & 1 tbs softened butter
Also required are, 1 tbs oil for greasing bowl, 2 qty non-stick 9" x 5" loaf pans non-stick baking spray to grease loaf pans & 1/2 -1 cups rolled or quick oats for coating loaf pans
Preheat oven to 200 deg F. Turn off oven after 5 minutes.
Know-hows : Preheating the oven at 200 deg F in such a manner will allow the bread to rise in a warm environment which is a challenge in cold climates.
- Proof the yeast : Add sugar to the water and microwave for 30 seconds if right out of the tap. Ass the yeast and set aside. The yeast should expand and nearly bubble over in about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large super sized mixing bowl or the bowl of your electric stand mixer, combine the boiling water, oats, sugar, honey, butter, salt and cinnamon.
- Stir to combine and set aside for about 10 minutes or so to cool to lukewarm. The mixture will turn into a thick soupy consistency of oatmeal.
- Add the yeast, walnut and flours, stirring to form a rough dough. Knead (about 10 minutes by hand, 5 minutes by machine) until the dough is smooth and has formed a ball.
- Transfer the dough ball to a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes - 1 hour.
- The dough should have expanded to double its volume. Using kitchen shears, cut through the center of the expanded ball dividing into 2 equal halves. Separate the dough without punching to let out the gas.
- On a clean surface, cookie sheet or cutting board, roll out or flatten the dough with clean hands into a rectangle with a width to fit into the length (9") of the loaf fan with the shorter side facing you. Flip over if needed so the smooth and even dough surface is face down.
- Tightly roll (like you would a swiss roll) so you end up with a loaf. Repeat with the other half.
- Spray 2 qty 9" x 5" loaf pans with non-stick baking spray. Sprinkle 1/4 cup oats and jiggle to cover the bottom and sides of the loaf pan as best you can.
- Place each loaf in the pans.
- Cover the pans with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow the loaves to rise till they've crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan (about 1 hour)
- Preheat the oven at 350 deg F. Bake the loaves in a preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes.
- Remove them from the oven when they're golden brown, sound hollow when tapped or the interior registers 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove the loaves from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes. Carefully run a butter knife around the edge of the pans and remove the loaves.
- In a small mixing bowl combine the butter & honey or agave nectar for the glaze. With a pastry brush stir rapidly to combine.
- Liberally apply the glaze all over the top of the loaves and set aside to cool for several hours on a baking rack before refrigerating or freezing.
- Enjoy warm with butter & jam!
- To store ~ To freeze, place the bread in a freezer safe zip-loc bag and freeze. Defrost at room temperature overnight before using. To refrigerate, wrapping the loaf in a plastic cling wrap will suffice. Bread will keep just fine in the bread box at room temperature for a day or two for daily use.
Here's a bread that is fluffy, moist, loaded with the good stuff & absolutely delicious! In fact so habit forming is it that it's on permanent rotation in our kitchen. The glaze is wonderful and very addictive. I use it on almost all my breads. I like the hint of cinnamon and a touch of sweetness in every bite. Super market bread is a thing of the past dearies!
Recipe for
Whole Wheat, Oatmeal & Walnut Bread
Preparation & resting time - 20 minutes
Rising time (total for both cycles) - 2 hours
Baking time - 30-35 minutes
Makes 2 qty 9" x 5" loaves
1-1/2 cups boiling water (tea kettle boiling)
1-1/4 cup rolled or quick oats
3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
1-1/2 tbs Agave nectar or honey
3/4 stick butter
1-1/4 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups whole wheat flour
5 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or Unbleached bread flour like King Arthur's
1 cup walnut pieces (broken)
~
Proof the yeast:
1 cups water, lukewarm
2 tbs dry active yeast
1/2 tbs sugar
~
Honey butter glaze
1 tbs honey or agave nectar
1 tbs softened butter
~
1 tbs oil for greasing bowl
non-stick baking spray to grease loaf pans
1/2 -1 cups rolled or quick oats for sprinkling
2 qty non-stick 9" x 5" loaf pans
Method:
Preheat oven to 200 deg F. Turn off oven after 5 minutes.
Know-hows : Preheating the oven at 200 deg F in such a manner will allow the bread to rise in a warm environment which is a challenge in cold climates.
Proof the yeast : Add sugar to the water and microwave for 30 seconds if right out of the tap. Ass the yeast and set aside. The yeast should expand and nearly bubble over in about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large super sized mixing bowl or the bowl of your electric stand mixer, combine the boiling water, oats, sugar, honey, butter, salt and cinnamon.
Stir to combine and set aside for about 10 minutes or so to cool to lukewarm. The mixture will turn into a thick soupy consistency of oatmeal.
Add the yeast, walnut and flours, stirring to form a rough dough. Knead (about 10 minutes by hand, 5 minutes by machine) until the dough is smooth and has formed a ball.
Transfer the dough ball to a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes - 1 hour. The dough should have expanded to double its volume.
Using kitchen shears, cut through the center of the expanded ball dividing into 2 equal halves. Separate the dough without punching to let out the gas.
On a clean surface, cookie sheet or cutting board, roll out or flatten the dough with clean hands into a rectangle with a width to fit into the length (9") of the loaf fan with the shorter side facing you. Flip over if needed so the smooth and even dough surface is face down.
Tightly roll (like you would a swiss roll) so you end up with a loaf. Repeat with the other half.
Spray 2 qty 9" x 5" loaf pans with non-stick baking spray. Sprinkle 1/4 cup oats and jiggle to cover the bottom and sides of the loaf pan as best you can.
Place each loaf in the pans.
Cover the pans with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow the loaves to rise till they've crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan (about 1 hour)
Preheat the oven at 350 deg F
Bake the loaves in a preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes.
Remove them from the oven when they're golden brown, sound hollow when tapped or the interior registers 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Remove the loaves from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes. Carefully run a butter knife around the edge of the pans and remove the loaves.
In a small mixing bowl combine the butter & honey or agave nectar for the glaze. With a pastry brush stir rapidly to combine. Liberally apply the glaze all over the top of the loaves and set aside to cool for several hours on a baking rack before refrigerating or freezing.
Enjoy warm with butter & jam!
To store ~ To freeze, place the bread in a freezer safe zip-loc bag and freeze. Defrost at room temperature overnight before using. To refrigerate, wrapping the loaf in a plastic cling wrap will suffice.
Bread will keep just fine in the bread box at room temperature for a day or two for daily use
