ABC: Honey Oatmeal Bread

I am super late with this challenge, but I did not want to pass this one by.  I had so much baking to do for our annual pig roast that this beautiful loaf had to wait until I had the time to bake it. 

I am glad I took the time!!  This bread is delicious!  Soft and slightly sweet.  It makes a really nice sandwich bread.  Oats are softened in warmed milk and then honey is added.  The oat mixture is added to the flour and yeast.  I used bread flour instead of all purpose flour....just because I had it.  The crust got dark fast, I guess I should have covered it with some foil half way through.  It still tasted great and made the house smell heavenly.  Check out all the beautiful loaves the other bakers did here. 

Enjoy!



Honey Oatmeal Bread

Abby Dodge-Weekend Baker

1 1/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 optional tablespoon, melted, for glazing
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1/3 cup honey
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

Pour the milk in a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in the oats, the 3 tablespoons butter, and the salt. Cover and set aside, stirring frequently, until the oatmeal is soft, about 20 minutes. Stir in the honey.

In the large bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour and yeast. Whisk until well blended.

Check the temperature of the oatmeal; it should register about 120 degrees on an instant read thermometer. In order for the yeast to grow, the liquid needs to be between 115 and 125 degrees.

Fit the mixer with the dough hook. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the warm oatmeal to the flour mixture and beat until the flour is completely incorporated. (Note: I combined it with a wooden spoon first, then switched to the dough hook.) Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, about 10 minutes. If the dough begins to climb the hook, stop the mixer and scrape the dough back into the bowl.

Scoop up the dough and shape it into a ball. Lightly grease the bowl and pop the dough back into it. Cover the top securely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Lightly grease an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface (Note: Dodge says there’s no need for flour here, but my dough was still so sticky it did need a dusting of flour.) Press down gently to deflate it. Press the dough into a 7-by-10 inch rectangle. Starting at a short side, roll up like a jelly roll. Pinch the bottom and side seams closed. Place the dough on the counter, seam side down and perpendicular to you. Using the outside edge of your slightly curved palms, press gently but firmly on the bottom seam until the dough forms a smooth rectangle 8 inches long, with a rounded, taut-skinned top. Place the dough, seam side down, into the prepared pan. Press on the dough to flatten and fill the pan in an even layer.

Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until almost doubled in size, about 45 minutes. The center of the dough will rise about 1 1/2 inches above the rim of pan.

When ready to bake, position an oven rack in the middle rung. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the plastic and, using the tip of a very sharp knife or razor blade, cut a slit about 1/2 inch deep down the center of the loaf, traveling its length. Bake until the loaf is puffed and browned, about 40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and brush the top with melted butter, if using. Tip the baked loaf onto a rack and remove the pan. Set the loaf on its side and let cool completely.