| Oat Raisin Bread
1 cup rolled oats (you can even use steel cut oats in this recipe if you like)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
1 cup raisins
1 cup bran
3 cups boiling water (yes, boiling, trust me)
2 packages (4 ½ teaspoons) yeast
¾ cup molasses
1 cup whole wheat flour
5 cups bread or all purpose flour
Baking Pans - 2 8"x5" loaf pans, non-stick or greased.
Method:
In your large mixing bowl or the work bowl of your stand mixer combine the oats, salt, butter, raisins and bran. Pour in the boiling water. Stir with a wooden spoon and allow to stand for about 35 minutes, until it cools to about 130 degrees (I told you to trust me!). This will allow the bran, oat and raisins to plump and soften.
Measure in the yeast an molasses and stir to combine. Add the whole wheat flour and 2 cups of the white flour.
Using a wooden spoon or the flat paddle attachment for your stand mixer stir vigorously for 2 minutes. You will now have a nice smooth batter. Add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time, allowing the batter to absorb the flour before adding the next ½ cup.
The dough should form a shaggy mass that will clean the sides of the bowl. If you are doing this by hand, turn the dough out onto a well floured work surface. Using as strong push, fold, turn method, knead the dough for 8 minutes. It may be fairly sticky at first, don't despair, it will become smooth and elastic in short order.
If you are doing this with your stand mixer switch to the dough hook. Now, depending on how big your mixer is, you might have a little trouble with the size of this dough. To keep it from sitting on top of the flange of the dough hook and perhaps getting into the gears (a real disaster!) spay the top of the flange with a little cooking spray. This will help to keep it off the top and under the hook where it belongs. Knead at a low speed for 8 minutes.
In another large bowl, pour a teaspoon of cooking oil into the bowl. Using your hands make sure the whole bowl is greased. Place the kneaded dough in the bowl and turn once to coat the whole dough. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.
Turn back the plastic wrap and punch down the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a sharp knife, divide the dough in half. Form each dough into ball and cover with a piece of wax paper. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
To form the loaves flatten one of the balls into an oval a bit longer than the loaf pans. Fold over the center and then tightly pinch the seams. Fold the ends under and place in the loaf pan. Repeat with the second dough ball.
Cover the pans with wax paper and allow to rise at room temperature until they have doubled in volume, about 35- 40 minutes.
Place a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat it to 375 for at least 20 minutes before baking.
Slip the loaves into the hot oven and bake for 1 hour.
The loaves will be dark brown and smell of molasses. Check for doneness by turning one loaf out and thumping the bottom with a forefinger. If it is hard and you get a hollow sound the bread is done. If not return the loaves to the oven for 10 more minutes.
Turn the finished loaves out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. So there you have it, a loaf that is so tasty and gorgeous that you fussy eaters won't even know it is good for them! That will be true even if they are well into middle age!
The flour is yours! |
