It’s been cold, cold, COLD! During the days of the frigid polar vortex I wanted to bake all the things, all day long, so I could hang out in a warm kitchen. I made soup; I made stew; I made this oatmeal wheat bread.
Make that fantastic bread. This bread starts with a sort of rough porridge, and then 2 kind of flours get added, to produce a loaf that’s both delicate and sturdy. All fresh bread smells wonderful, but the cinnamon added to this one makes it smell even better.
The next time I make this, I may make one loaf and a batch of rolls, so that we could grab hot rolls fresh from the oven. It’s so good that we don’t want to wait for it to slice cleanly. This is not a quick bread – it does take 3 hours or so. I kneaded it in the KitchenAid stand mixer, so it was easy on my wrists.
It’s also a bread that rewards some improvisation. One day, when I was setting out to make this bread, I happened to have about a cup of leftover steel-cut oatmeal. I tossed that right in at the beginning with the rolled oats. While I had to add more flour at the end to compensate – I just added flour until the consistency was right – it was just as delicious and moist. This bread is a favorite with everybody in the family: I’ll be making a lot more of it. Oatmeal wheat bread is good on its own, great toasted, and just right with a big bowl of soup.
soften the oats
In a large mixing bowl (I used the bowl of my KitchenAid mixer) combine the water, oats, brown sugar, honey, butter, salt, and cinnamon. Let stand and cool to lukewarm, about 10-15 minutes.
make dough
Add the yeast and flours all at once, if you’re using the KitchenAid. Using the dough hook, combine the flours, then knead 5 to 7 minutes (10-15 minutes by hand), until the dough is smooth and satiny.
let rise
Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl, cover with a clean tea towel, and let it rise at least an hour. It should become quite puffy, and become two to three times its original size.
deflate, shape into loaves, let rise again
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand just a bit, then divide into two parts and shape each half into a loaf. Place the loaves into two greased 8.5 x 4.5 inch bread pans. Cover the loaves with the tea towel, and let them rise 60 to 90 minutes, until they’ve crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan.
bake at 350˚F
Shortly before the dough is completely risen, turn the oven to 350˚F or 175˚C. Slash the loaves to permit expansion, then bake them for 35 to 40 minutes. If they’re browning too quickly (check at 25 minutes) tent them with aluminum foil.
Remove them from the oven when they’re done: they’ll be golden brown, they’ll sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, and the interior will register 190˚F on a digital thermometer.
Cool the loaves (out of the pans, of course) on a rack. Store at room temperature. If they are well wrapped they’ll keep for several days. These loaves also freeze well.
Oatmeal Wheat Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups boiling water (475ml)
- 1 cup rolled oats (traditional or quick oats, NOT instant)
- ½ cup brown sugar (make that a scant measure)
- 1 tbsp honey
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, in rough chunks (about 60g)
- 1 tbsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal, if you use Mortons, cut in half)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp instant yeast
- 1½ cups white whole wheat flour (about 170g)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (482g)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl (I used the bowl of my KitchenAid mixer) combine the water, oats, brown sugar, honey, butter, salt, and cinnamon. Let stand and cool to lukewarm, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add the yeast and flours all at once, if you’re using the KitchenAid. Using the dough hook, combine the flours, then knead 5 to 7 minutes (10-15 minutes by hand), until the dough is smooth and satiny.
- Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl, cover with a clean tea towel, and let it rise at least an hour. It should become quite puffy, and become two to three times its original size.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand just a bit, then divide into two parts and shape each half into a loaf. Place the loaves into two greased 8.5 x 4.5 inch bread pans. Cover the loaves with the tea towel, and let them rise 60 to 90 minutes, until they’ve crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan.
- Shortly before the dough is completely risen, turn the oven to 350˚F or 175˚C. Slash the loaves to permit expansion, then bake them for 35 to 40 minutes. If they’re browning too quickly (check at 25 minutes) tent them with aluminum foil.
- Remove them from the oven when they’re done: they’ll be golden brown, they’ll sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, and the interior will register 190˚F on a digital thermometer.
- Cool the loaves (out of the pans, of course) on a rack. Store at room temperature. If they are well wrapped they’ll keep for several days. These loaves also freeze well.