OATMEAL BREAD

Today was a perfect bread baking day.  An overcast January morning, lots of rain, and a big baby belly that just wants to cozy up by the fire and knit.  Although I've been subsisting on lots of delicious homemade sourdough bread the past few months, I often make the rest of the family a few loaves of delicious yeast breads to have on hand in the freezer.  Every now and then I like to make this rich Oatmeal Bread instead of our regular whole wheat loaf.  The gooey molasses adds a deep dark hue to this oatmeal studded bread.  Kind of chewy, and deeply delicious.  The perfect snack on a winter day, smothered in salty butter.  The best part of winter bread baking is setting the bread to rise by the fire while I rock my self into knitting heaven....

OATMEAL BREAD

2 cups organic large flake oatmeal

2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup organic molasses

(1/2 cup coconut sugar - optional - this will make a sweet loaf)

1 Tbsp sea salt

1/2 cup organic butter

1/2 cup lukewarm water

4 tsp instant yeast

5-6 cups organic flour (I used mostly whole wheat with some unbleached white)

Method:  Pour the boiling water over the oats, stir, and then add the molasses (sugar), sea salt, and butter.  Let cool to lukewarm.  Meanwhile, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.  Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour, a few cups at a time, and then scrape the dough onto a well floured surface, sprinkle it with flour and knead it. Gather the dough together in your hands and push it away from you with your palms. Fold it in half towards you, then turn and turn and repeat pushing, folding, and turning, sprinkling flour on the dough to keep it from sticking, this may take up to a cupful more. Keep kneading for several minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

After kneading, put the dough in a large oiled bowl, and flip to coat both sides with oil. Cover the bowl with a pot lid, and place in a warm place (near a woodstove or in a gas oven that has a pilot light).  Let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled. Punch the dough down to remove air bubbles, then divide into 2 parts. Shape each into a loaf and place into a greased loaf pan. Cover each loaf with a large upturned mixing bowl and return to a warm place again to rise the second time. The loaves should double, about 1 hour. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. When bread is golden brown on top and bottom and bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, it is done.