Baking A Simple Yeast Bread With Rolled Oats

Trust me, the title is much more complicated then this great bread. I have found hundreds of bread recipes over the years that had scads of ingredients, were complicated to make and many ended up not tasting like bread at all. Bread is yeast, flour (any kind), sugar, salt and oil. This recipe celebrates those ingredients. I like this recipe because it has three flour/grains. All-purpose flour is the base, whole wheat flour and rolled oats. It's still a yeast bread, not a soda bread and it has outstanding flavor, even with such humble and simple recipes. I have seen this recipe a few times, including in a cookbook by Natalie Oldfield, and it has always turned out perfectly. Serve this warm and you will have memories of childhood days in grandma's kitchen (well, that's what happened to me). Two tips: I used my stand mixer, it really makes for easier blending of the ingredients. Also, make sure you adequately grease the loaf pans. You don't want the bread sticking to the sides.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups warm water (105-115F) 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet) 1 tablespoon runny honey 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup rolled oats (not instant oats) 1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt 2 tablespoons butter, melted, for brushing

Directions

In a medium bowl, sprinkle the yeast onto the warm water and stir until the yeast dissolves. Stir in the honey and set aside for a few minutes, until the yeast blooms and swells a bit - 5 - 10 minutes. In the meantime, mix the flours, oats, and salt in a large bowl. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir very well. Brush a 8-cup loaf pan generously with some of the melted butter. Turn the dough into the tin, cover with a clean, slightly damp cloth, and set in a warm place for 30 minutes, to rise. Preheat the oven to 350F with a rack in the middle. When ready, bake the bread for 35-40 minutes, until golden and pulling away from the sides of the pan. You can finish things up by leaving the bread under the broiler for just a heartbeat - to give the top a bit deeper color. Remove from oven, and turn the bread out of the pan quickly. Let it cool on a rack so it doesn't steam in the pan. Serve warm, slathered with butter. Makes 1 loaf.