Honey Graham Oatmeal Spelt Bread

The Twelve Loaves’ Baking Group has been celebrating its one year anniversary this month. I’m still playing catch up from being out of the country so I’m getting this post in just under the wire.

The group decided to celebrate the event by allowing us to make our favorite bread. That’s an easy one!  My family’s favorite bread by far is Oatmeal Bread. There’s just something so comforting about it.

Making this bread brought back fond memories. Oatmeal bread was one of the first breads I learned to make in my bread machine oh so many years ago. My sons still request it.

 

This time, instead of making the bread in the bread machine, I made it completely by hand; no mixer, or bread machine, just a Danish dough whisk.

I took the characteristics of the oatmeal bread we know and love, and enhanced it by using spelt and graham flours. This updated version is nutty and chewy and full of whole grain flavor. 

 

Honey Graham Oatmeal Spelt Bread

Makes: 1 Loaf

Adapted from Honey Graham Oatmeal Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose Spelt flour
• 3/4 cup Graham flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/3 cups warm milk (I used almond milk)
• Extra oats for sprinkling on top of loaf, if desired

 

Directions:

1) Mix the dry ingredients (flours, oats, yeast and salt) together in a large mixing bowl.

 

2) Incorporate the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly but gently using a large wooden spoon or a Danish dough whisk.

 

3) Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it gently for a few minutes until you have a workable dough.

 

4) Place the dough in a clean, greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.

 

5) Let the dough bulk ferment for about an hour, or until doubled in size.

 

6) Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a rectangle shape to fit the size of your bread pan.  I used a 9” x 5” nonstick bread pan.

 

7) Starting from the short end, roll the dough up jelly roll style.

 

8) Place the dough seam side down in a bread pan sprayed with olive oil or other baking spray.

 

9) Spray the top of the loaf lightly with water and sprinkle additional oats, if desired. Cover the loaf with plastic wrap and let it proof for 30 –45 minutes or until it crests about 1” to 2” over the rim of the pan.

 

10) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

If desired, score the loaf with 3 diagonal slashes using a lame or serrated knife.

 

11) Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 200°F or the dough sounds “hollow” when you thump the top of it. If the bread appears to be browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil for the final 10 minutes of baking.

 

12) Remove the bread from the pan to a cooling rack and let it cool before slicing and serving.

This bread has been Yeastspotted.

My oldest son is staying with me right now so the timing was just right to make this homey bread. This is a healthier version of the oatmeal bread he grew up eating.  It’s a little bit denser and chewier, but delicious nonetheless.

 

Happy Baking!

Cathy

Honey Graham Oatmeal Bread in the Mountains

I enjoyed two of my favorite things this weekend: bread and the mountains.  I went to a cabin in the mountains with some of my hiking buddies. These ladies know I’m a bread baking fanatic so they asked me if I would bring some homemade bread and jam to sample.  I’m sure you know they didn’t have to ask me twice.

When I found out that Honey Oatmeal Bread was the BOM (Bread of the Month) for the Artisan Bread Bakers, I decided to make it for my weekend adventure. I substituted Graham flour for the regular whole wheat flour so my version became Honey Graham Oatmeal Bread.

There is nothing like enjoying homemade bread and nature in the same setting. This Honey Graham Oatmeal Bread was just the right bread for a relaxing weekend.  It is a delicious and homey bread. We enjoyed it spread with homemade peach and lavender butter and other goodies for an afternoon snack and as PB&J sandwiches with fruit and veggies for a fuss-free dinner.

 

 

Honey Graham Oatmeal Bread

Makes: 1 Loaf

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 cup coarsely ground Graham flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups milk

 

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients into the pan of your machine (in the order specified by your manufacturer), program machine for the dough cycle, and press Start.

If you don’t have a bread machine, see King Arthur’s site for traditional instructions.

About 10 minutes into the cycle, check the dough and adjust its consistency as necessary with additional flour or milk. It should be holding together well and forming a nice ball of supple dough.

I checked the bread pan a few times and my dough seemed really dry even after adding a little bit more milk. This was probably because I used coarse ground flour. So I took the dough out of the bread machine and added more milk, then kneaded it by hand until it was soft and supple.

Then I placed the dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl, covered it with plastic wrap, and let it bulk ferment for an hour or so until it had doubled in bulk.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled surface, and shape it into a log. Place the log in a lightly greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

 

Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, till it’s crested 1″ to 2″ over the rim of the pan. If desired, score the bread with 3 diagonal slashes using a lame or serrated knife.

Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190°F or the dough sounds “hollow” when you thump the top of it. If the bread appears to be browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil for the final 10 minutes of baking.

Remove the bread from the pan to a cooling rack and brush with melted butter (optional). Let the bread cool completely before slicing and serving.

 

 

I made this bread the day before the trip and sliced the whole loaf right before it was time to go. I placed the sliced loaf in a plastic bread bag. This way, I didn’t have to bring a bread knife with me.

 

My hiking buddies (and I) really enjoyed this bread.  It tastes great spread with butter, jam, peanut butter or plain.  I’m sure it would also make a great grilled cheese sandwich or French Toast, that is, if there was any left to try it.

 

Happy Baking!

Cathy

Einkorn Oatmeal Bread Machine Bread

My youngest son was home for Spring Break and about mid-way through the week, he said, “I’m thinking some Oatmeal Bread would taste really good!”  Hint, hint! Then my oldest son and his girlfriend came to visit for a few days so I took my son up on his offer. I baked their favorite Oatmeal Bread, but with a variation on a theme: I added some Einkorn Flour and steel cut oats.  I usually make this bread completely in the bread machine, but this time, I made the dough in the breadmaker and baked the loaf in a conventional oven.  I liked the results.

 

Einkorn Oatmeal Bread

The original version of this oatmeal bread is one of the first breads I ever made in the bread machine. It's still one of our favorites. The original called for molasses, but I substituted honey. It has a milder flavor so we like it better.

Makes: One 2-pound loaf

Adapted from this recipe: http://www.breadexperience.com/oatmeal-bread-recipe.html

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/3 cups water
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
• 1 cup Einkorn flour
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking or regular oats
• 1/8 cup steel cut oats
• 2 tablespoons dry milk
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons yeast

 

Directions:

1. Measure and add liquid ingredients to the bread pan. Measure and add dry ingredients (except yeast) to the bread pan.

   

   Einkorn Flour

    

   Bread flour  

    

   Oatmeal and Steel Cut Oats

    

2. Use your finger to form a well (hole) in the flour where you will pour the yeast.  Measure the yeast and carefully pour it into the well. Snap the baking pan into the breadmaker and close the lid.  Remember the yeast should not come into contact with a liquid when you are adding ingredients. 

   

    

3. To make this bread completely in the breadmaker, press "Select" button to choose the “Sweet” setting. Press the "Crust Color" button to choose light, medium or dark crust. Press the "Start/Stop" button.

   To mix the dough in the bread machine and bake it in a conventional oven, press “Select” button to choose the “Dough” setting.  Press “Start/Stop” button.

   

4. When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter and shape it into a loaf.

   

    

   

    

   

    

5. Place the loaf in a loaf pan and cover it with plastic.  I tested this bread in an 8 1/2” x 4 1/2” loaf pan and a 9” x 5” pan. The dough rose really high over the 8 1/2” x 4 1/2” pan and was a little bit top heavy.  The 9” x 5” loaf pan worked much better.  It produced a more uniform loaf that wasn’t top heavy.

   

    

6. Let the bread rise in the pan for about an hour.

   

7. Bake the loaf at 350 degrees F. until it is golden brown and sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom.  Remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool on a cooling rack.

    

8. Slice and enjoy.  This bread is very light and flavorful and a little bit crunchy due to the steel cut oats.  The Einkorn flour gives it a beautiful color.

   

 

This bread has been YeastSpotted. Please visit Wild Yeast to view all of the lovely breads in the roundup.

 

Thanks for joining me in the bread-baking blog. 

Happy Baking!

Cathy

Maple Oatmeal Bread: BOM

The choice for the Bread of the Month (BOM) for September is from one of my favorite cookbooks, Bernard Clayton’s Complete Book of Breads.  I was thrilled when I learned that we would be making this Maple Oatmeal Bread for the Artisan Bread Bakers this month. I love oatmeal bread. This loaf is very fluffy and has a delicious and light sweetness due to the maple syrup.

Did you know that maple syrup was discovered by the Native Americans who lived among the maple forests in North America? However, it was the pioneer, or early American housewife that turned it into the commodity it is today.  Sugar was scarce in those times, but maple syrup was plentiful so it was used in breads, biscuits, and pies and poured over pancakes. 

-- Bernard Clayton, New Complete Book of Breads

 

Maple Oatmeal Bread

Makes: Two Loaves

Recipe from Bernard Clayton’s Complete Book of Breads

This loaf, created by the baker at Staffords in the Field Inn in New Hampshire, is reminiscent of those times.  The recipe was adapted from a century-old recipe.  I don’t know about you but I enjoy tasting history.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 package dry yeast
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 5 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour, approximately (I used about 7 1/2 cups total)

Directions:

Put the oats into a bowl. Pour the boiling water over the oats and set aside to soak for an hour.

Sprinkle the yeast over the cooled oatmeal and stir to mix. Add the maple syrup, salt, cooking oil, and 3 cups of the flour. Blend all of the ingredients.  It will have the consistency of a heavy batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for about an hour. Add more flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is the correct consistency.

 

Knead for 10 minutes. Add more flour if the dough is sticky.  Mine was really sticky so I added more flour.  Divide the dough into two pieces.

 

Shape into loaves and place in greased loaf pans.

 

I used one glass pan and one nonstick pan to see if they baked it differently. Cover and let rise another 45 minutes or until the dough reaches the edge of the pan.  I used wax paper so it wouldn’t stick to the loaves.

 

Bake at 350 for 30 - 40 minutes.  The recipe says to bake for 40 to 50 minutes but it didn’t take that long for my bread to bake.  Remove the loaves and place on metal rack to cool before serving.

 

Notes:  This bread makes great toast and can be kept frozen for an indefinite period at 0 degrees.  I think I’ll freeze this loaf to enjoy later and eat the other loaf now.

 

BOM (Bread of the Month) is a virtual bread-baking party hosted by Phyl Of Cabbages & King Cakes.  Visit the Facebook page to learn more about the Artisan Bread Baking group.

Thanks for visiting The Bread Experience Bread-Baking Blog. I hope you enjoyed your visit and will join me again next time.

Happy Baking!
Cathy