Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Technobabe...this loafs for you...

 I know, I know...I just crack myself up.

  This recipe is for a honey oatmeal bread that I make regularly in my bread machine. Now, I love  making bread the old way, mixing and kneading and punching down the dough...but since I've started making all our bread and not buying any, I use the bread machine and save the old fashioned way for specialty breads.




 I am notorious for adding extras to recipes like this. I have started using a white whole wheat flour made by Eagle Mills. It has 4 1/2 times the fiber of regular wheat flour and 30 grams of whole grain per serving.  When I make this bread, I add vital wheat gluten and milled flaxseed. Sometimes I add extra wheat germ.,  just because I can.  I also use  Hodgsons Mills yeast specially for use with whole grains. I  pay extra attention to the bread as it's mixing, and if it looks dry to me (because I have added so much extra stuff!) then I add a bit more water.  The more times you make bread the more you'll understand the process.

 I have some very dark honey from the bees we kept in North Carolina and I always use that in my bread. I also sea salt and real butter. Make sure you understand one thing about yeast, and you'll never lose another loaf of bread again. Believe me, I have baked a lot of bricks in my career..cold does not kill yeast. Too hot will kill yeast. I use hot tap water that I have run for a bit, and it's about the right temperature. Especially once I pour it into that cold metal bread pan!

 Put these ingredients in the order shown into the pan of your bread machine.


 Here are the ingredients:

1 1/2 cups + 3 tbsp. hot water
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. honey
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal (quick or old fashioned-doesn't matter. NOT instant!!)
2 Tbsp. dry milk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup milled flax seed
1 packet yeast


Make a well in the center, pushing the dry ingredients into the corners and put in the  yeast.

  Lock the pan into the bread machine, program it for the 2 lb. loaf, medium crust and whole wheat setting. Press start and you're on your way !!



   This is one of the best breads for slicing for sandwiches, which is one reason I make it. The Irishman does love his sandwiches at lunch. It keeps well, and that may be because of the honey, which (as I'm sure you know) has antibacterial properties.  It's hearty and nutty flavored and everyone that tries it, likes it. It has a beautiful crumb, fine texture.



  Either that, or they're afraid to tell me.  LOL



Bon Apetit !!

9 comments:

  1. I have written this down to try with our bread machine, I just made some cranberry bread the other day and it was actually quite good, so I can imagine how great this is.

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  2. I don't have a bread machine but I do love baking bread. This one has just the right ingredients, although I have never heard of Vital Wheat Gluten. What is it? What does it do to the bread or is it a nutritional supplement? Thanks

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  3. I do have one,
    I love fresh bread,
    this looks cool!

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  4. Hi, Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! :) I too have stolen your recepe! Can't wait to try it, the bred in your pic looks delicious!

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  5. ps, sorry for the typo's my keyboard doesn't pick up all the key stokes in internet explorer for some reason... my work pc does the same, can't work it out..... ,maybe it's me lol

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  6. Man, that looks good. Unfortunately, I have no bread machine, and I am too damn lazy to make it.

    Love,

    SB

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  7. Goodness, what fabulous bread! I may have to purchase a bread machine.

    Thank you for sharing!

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  8. Thanks for the good recipe. Sometimes I am leery to play around with a recipe for the bread maker. If I don't have a grinder-how else can I mill the flax seed- I am new at the flax seed thing - I guess I should have bought the vit. kind instead of the real thing.

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  9. Can't tell you how excited I am to find this recipe! I haven't used my bread machine in six years because we eat whole wheat & I couldn't get it to make a good loaf. Will pick up some white whole wheat flour tomorrow & try this!

    I tracked you back here from your profile after you followed Hill Country Mysteries. Nice to meet you.

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