Bread Recipe Testing

[mnjrutherford]

I'm working on a new bread that has some oatmeal in it. I've used "Calorie Count" to get an idea of the food value and overall, they rate it a B+. I've gone through several methods and I've honed it down pretty well also. I would like to get some feed back about how it's written and if the bread turns out as well for you as it is for me.

Oatmeal Bread

6 c. flour
3 c. water
½ c. oats
2 T. brown sugar
2 t. salt
1 t. yeast

Day before baking:

SCRAP DOUGH
In a large bowl mix:
2 c. flour
1 c. water
½ t. yeast

NOTE: This step can be done early in the morning and the dough made and left to ferment overnight, OR it can be done in the afternoon and saved until the next morning.

Baking day:

In a small pot add:
½ c. oats
1 c. water
Bring to gentle simmer over medium heat and cook until very thick, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour onto saucer to cool.

In mixing bowl add:
4 c. flour
1 c. water
2 T. brown sugar
2 t. salt
½ t. yeast

Mix till all water is absorbed and it looks rough and “scrappy”. Cover with cloth and rest for 20 minutes.

After resting, add oatmeal and scrap dough to the bowl. Knead until dough COMPLETELY cleans bottom of the bowl. This should take from 10 to 20 minutes and will vary with weather. Finished dough will be smooth, wet, and shiny.

Cover with a bowl with a cloth and relax for 20 minutes.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and sprinkle with flour.
Using fingertips, push dough out into a rough square. Fold into thirds like a letter.
Turn dough a quarter turn, push it out in the opposite direction, fold into thirds again, and return to the bowl. Cover with cloth and rest for another 20 minutes.
After 2nd 20 minute rest, repeat the stretching and folding process.
After a 3rd 20 minute rest, repeat the stretching and folding process a final time.
Allow to ferment until double in bulk, about 4 to 6 hours depending on ambient temperature. DO NOT RUSH THE FERMENT PERIOD!

Portion and shape the dough as desired. I like to rest it in floured baskets. After shaping, rest until doubled in bulk again, about 2 to 3 hours.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Move shaped breads to baking sheet sprinkled with corn meal. Rest a last 20 minutes while oven heats. When rested, slash breads. Open oven and toss ¼ c. water on the floor of the oven, put bread in and close oven. Set one timer for 5 minutes and another for 40 minutes. After 5 minutes, throw another ¼ c. of water onto the floor of the oven. At 40 minutes, loaves should be a deep brown and fully baked. Remove from oven and immediately place on a cooling rack.

[Penny]

That does sound good Jo......good luck.

[mnjrutherford]

Thanks Penny! Do you think this is a recipe you would be willing to try? My family LOVES it! It has a moist, open crumb that is wonderfully chewy. Makes fabulous toast and stays nice up to 4 days wrapped in cloth. It also makes a wonderful meat sandwich. Not so good for peanut butter and honey or jam sandwiches as the fillings ooze out the holes.

[jihadacadien]

Great recipe.....I've been substituting a cup of my flour for a cup of freshly ground flax seeds. it works great!!!

[mnjrutherford]

Thanks! Interesting that you mention the flax because I've modified the recipe over the past week to include flax. It's a slightly stiffer dough so I treat it a wee bit differently. Here's the flax added version:

Oatmeal Flax Bread

6 c. flour
3 c. water
½ c. oats
¼ c. cold milled flax
2 T. brown sugar
2 t. salt
1 t. yeast

Day before baking:

SCRAP DOUGH
In a large bowl mix:
2 c. flour
1 c. water
½ t. yeast

NOTE: This step can be done early in the morning and the dough made and left to ferment overnight, OR it can be done in the afternoon and saved until the next morning.

Baking day:

In a small pot add:
½ c. oats
1 c. water
Bring to gentle simmer over medium heat and cook until very thick, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour onto saucer to cool.

In mixing bowl add:
4 c. flour
1 c. water
¼ c. cold milled flax
2 T. brown sugar
2 t. salt
½ t. yeast

Mix till all water is absorbed and it looks rough and “scrappy”. Cover with cloth and rest for 20 minutes.

After resting, add oatmeal and knead until dough COMPLETELY cleans bottom of the bowl. This should take about 5 to 10 minutes and will vary with weather. Add the scrap dough and again knead till the dough cleans the bowl. This will take another 5 minutes. Finished dough will be smooth, wet, and shiny.

Cover with a bowl with a cloth and relax for 20 minutes.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and sprinkle with flour.
Using fingertips, push dough out into a rough square. Fold into thirds like a letter.
Turn dough a quarter turn, push it out in the opposite direction, fold into thirds again, and return to the bowl. Cover with cloth and rest for another 20 minutes.
After 2nd 20 minute rest, repeat the stretching and folding process.
After a 3rd 20 minute rest, repeat the stretching and folding process a final time.
Allow to ferment until double in bulk, about 4 to 6 hours depending on ambient temperature. DO NOT RUSH THE FERMENT PERIOD!

Portion and shape the dough as desired. I've been making this into batards. After shaping, rest until doubled in bulk again, about 2 to 3 hours.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Move shaped breads to baking sheet sprinkled with corn meal. (If using baskets, invert and allow dough to “fall” onto the baking sheet.) Rest another 20 minutes while oven heats. When rested, slash breads. Open oven and toss ¼ c. water on the floor of the oven, put bread in and close oven. Set one timer for 5 minutes and another for 40 minutes. After 5 minutes, throw another ¼ c. of water onto the floor of the oven. At 40 minutes, loaves should be a deep brown and fully baked. Remove from oven and immediately place on a cooling rack.