Good Morning! - Oatmeal Breakfast Bread

This is a special bread usually baked around Christmas for giving to friends. But honestly, this bread is so special it can and should be made anytime of year. It includes raw oats (not the rolled oats we are used to but the whole oats) and a lot of them. Because they, themselves are a bit crunchy, they give a 'nutty' texture to the bread and lots of flavor. The bread is dense, again because of the oats, but don't let that deter you. Spread some fresh butter or jam on this bread after lightly toasting and you will love it. What a great way to start your day!

This recipe is adapted from that all-time classic bread cookbook, Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads. What can I say, if you don't have it, and you're serious about baking bread, GET IT!!! It's that good.

Here's What You'll Need:
1 1/2 cups oats
1 1/2 cups boiling water (to soften the oats)
3 Tbs. butter or margarine
3 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup raisins
1 Tbs. dry yeast
2 eggs, large, room temperature
4 to 5 cups bread or all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. butter melted
1 cup sugar
2 Tbs. cinnamon

Here's What You'll Need To Do:

1. In a large bowl, mix the oats and the boiling water. Stir to blend, then add the butter or margarine, honey, brown sugar, salt and raisins. Let this mixture cool down to no more than about 130 F (45 C). You can also use a food processor to make this dough as seen here. Use the plastic dough blade to mix.

2. Add the yeast, then the eggs and 2 cups of flour. Beat with a wooden spoon (or the paddle attachment of your mixer) for a few minutes, working in additional flour, one half cup at a time, until it is solid enough to 'clean the bowl'. It will still be a bit sticky but can be removed to a work surface for additional kneading. For kneading with a food processor, after all the ingredients are combined, knead for about 1 minute being careful not to let the dough get too warm as that will harm (kill?) the yeast.

3. Knead vigorously for about 8 minutes adding a little flour if necessary. Or 1 minute with the processor.

4. Place the dough in a buttered (or oiled) bowl, turn to coat, then cover to rise. It will rise slowly but should double in about 2 hours.

5. Remove the dough from the bowl, cut into 2 equal pieces, and flatten and shape into a rough rectangle.
Sprinkle the dough with the sugar and cinnamon, then roll it up like a jellyroll. Shape into a loaf, place in a loaf pan and cover for the second rise, about 1 hour.

6. Bake in an oven heated to 350 F (180 C) for about 40 minutes until it is nicely browned. Brush with melted butted while still hot after removing from the oven. Cool on a rack.

Bon Appetit!

Hats off to Dr. Johnson - English Oatmeal Bread

Long before I became a baker, I studied English Literature. In fact, I even have a Bachelor's degree in the subject. I have never worked in the field, I admit. But to this day I am an avid reader of just about anything I can get my hands on, including great literature. I especially like Dickens and the Shakespearean period. Which brings me to Dr. Johnson, who was mostly a contemporary although he continued after Shakespeare as well. Among his many literary works, Dr. Johnson is known for his dictionary. He was a humorist and quite a snob, and so his definition of 'oats' reads something like this (not an exact quote): "Oats: a grain which in England is fed to cattle but in Scotland feeds the population". Needless to say, in Nova Scotia and in Old Scotland, he is not well liked especially since oats are not only tasty but also nutritious. They are also mostly gluten-free. However, if you use then for gluten-free baking, make sure they are certified. There is always the danger of cross-contamination with wheat and wheat products.

This bread actually comes from England, despite Dr. Johnson, where it is usually served as a tea bread. Covered with butter and/or honey it is delicious and the oats, which are soaked for 2 hours beforehand, disappear in the moist dough.

Here's What You'll Need: (for 2 small loaves, one large loaf, or about 1 dozen rolls)

2 cups oatmeal, plus 2 Tbs. for dusting
2 cups milk
2 1/4 tsp. dry yeast
2 Tbs. butter, softened
2 tsp. salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups bread flour or AP flour
1 egg, beaten, mixed with 1 Tbs. water

Here's What You'll Need to Do: (in a food processor)

1. Attach the plastic blade to your processor. Add the oatmeal and the water, cover, then let it sit and absorb the water for 2 hours.

2. Pulse to mix the oatmeal, then add the remaining ingredients, holding back about 1/2 cup flour. Add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until you get a soft sticky dough that 'cleans the bowl'. Continue running the processor for about 45 seconds until the dough is well kneaded.

3. Remove the dough from the bowl, then, on a lightly floured surface knead a few times. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover to let it rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

4. Remove the dough from the bowl, deflate, then form into a loaf, or into rolls. Cover and allow to rise a second time, this time for 45 minutes.

5. About 20 minutes before the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 400 F (190 C)*. Optionally, you can brush the loaf (rolls) with the egg wash and sprinkle with oats. Bake for 30-35 minutes (about 20 for rolls) until golden brown and they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

6. Cool on a rack.

* If using 'turbo' function, reduce heat by 50 F (25 C).

Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Bread - The First Kind

As you all must know by now, I like to experiment with bread recipes. I also like to attempt vintage recipes and to bake breads that are standards from all over the world. And so, I approached this bread from England with an expectation of something special, since it is so well-known there. In reading about oatmeal bread I soon discovered that there are two distinct types. In this version, I will use rolled oats mixed directly into the dough. In another version, which takes about 2 days to make, the oats are cooked first, literally made into oatmeal breakfast cereal, then the next day added in to the dough. I will make the other version at another time. This version, however, produced a loaf with a close crumb and a very crunchy (and satisfying) crust. I have been eating it for the last 3 days (it keeps well!) with pastrami and Dijon mustard. Also, just plain toasted with peanut butter spread all over. It is delicious, and especially so, if you like crispy exteriors with soft interiors. A keeper.

Here's What You'll Need:
2 tsp dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups medium oatmeal
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp honey
rolled oats for decoration

Here's What You'll Need to Do:
1. Mix the yeast into 1/2 cup of the water and let it stand to activate for about 5 minutes.

2. Mix the flours, the oatmeal and the salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Pour about half the remaining water into the bowl and start to mix, adding just enough water to make a smooth and slightly sticky dough. This dough will be stiff!

3. Remove the dough from the bowl to a lightly-floured surface and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes.

4. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover and let it rise until doubled, about 2 hours.

5. Deflate the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then, form it into a loaf and place it in a 8 1/2 in X 4 1/2 in (22 cm X 11 cm) loaf pan. Cover and let it rise until it just goes over the lip of the pan.

6. Heat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Brush the loaf lightly with water and sprinkle oats over the top.

7. Bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

8. Cool on a rack.