Prev << Main >> Next
Wednesday, January 24, 2007

oatmeal bread

bubblicious

oatmeal bread done

oatmeal bread heels

Edit: Okay, okay.  smile Here it is:

White oatmeal bread (adapted from The Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas [New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1972])
makes 2 8"x 4” loaves

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 large potato or equivalent (I have a bag of small Nicola potatoes, about 1 1/2” in diameter and 3 1/2” long; I used three)
water to cover
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, or 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (Note:  This is the amount of yeast to use if you want to give this a long, slow refrigerated rise.  If you want to mix and bake this on the same day, use a full packet—about 2 1/4 teaspoons—of active dry yeast, or a scant 2 teaspoons of instant yeast)
4 teaspoons granulated sugar, or 2 teaspoons barley malt syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 cup rolled oats
approximately 5 cups (approximately 25 ounces) all-purpose flour

Scald the milk, pour into a bowl or Pyrex measuring cup and cool to tepid, skimming off the casein skin.  While the milk is cooling, peel the potato, cut into large pieces, and boil in unsalted water until soft.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the potato-cooking water and let cool.  Mash the potato with a little of the milk and butter until the mixture is completely smooth.  Place the mixture in a large bowl and add the rest of the butter and milk, a little at a time, stirring gently, until a thin, smooth puree is formed.

When the potato water has cooled to tepid, sprinkle the yeast on its surface.  Add the sugar and ginger, mix through, and add to the bowl with the potato mixture.  Add the salt, oats and 4 cups of the flour and mix until dough forms a shaggy mass.  Knead as you normally knead bread; by hand, I find it takes about ten minutes; in the KitchenAid, it takes about seven or eight minutes.  You will probably need to add the last cup of flour as you knead.  Add more if the dough is particularly sticky, but don’t overdo it.  You want a dough that is firm but not dry.  When it is fully kneaded, turn it into a buttered bowl, cover and let the dough ferment until doubled in bulk.  If you’ve used the full packet of yeast, the dough will probably double in about two hours.  If you’re doing the slow cold rise, place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least eight hours, up to 2 days.  (I love two-day bread, but if it’s not in your schedule, the shorter rises will still make really fine bread.)

When you are ready to bake the bread, preheat the oven to 450F (Gas Mark 8) and position a rack in the center of the oven.  Deflate the dough—if you’ve let it ferment in the fridge, let it come to room temperature first—divide in half and shape into logs.  Place each log into a buttered 8"x 4” bread tin (or any tin that the dough will fill halfway), cover with buttered plastic wrap and let rise until the bread just reaches the edge of the tin.  Brush with the egg wash of your choice and place in the oven.  Bake for 10 minutes, turn the oven down to 350F (Gas Mark 4) and bake for an additional 45 minutes.  Turn the loaves out of the tins as soon as they are done.  Make yourself some toast as soon as they are cool.  smile

Posted by Bakerina at 12:20 AM in • (1) Comments

Well, thank you, honey.  smile (And yes, it is.  I don’t know how it happened, but I was tickled to see it.  Now, that’s good gluten development.) wink

Bakerina on 01/24/07 at 11:43 PM  
Page 1 of 1 pages
Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.
Prev << Main >> Next