Mum's Oatmeal Brown Bread

Yield: 2 loaves

​Let me tell you - THIS is a treat. If like me you aren't an expert bread baker, don't worry, you don't need to be in order to make yourself a tasty loaf.  I do think this recipe would be a great place to start for beginners though and even if you are an expert bread baker, that's cool too - this bread is amazing. It makes 2 beautiful loaves; slightly sweet from molasses and lots of healthy goodness from oats. The dough is very sticky which can be a bit of a challenge in theory, but instead of trying to knead it on the counter and making a sticky - doughy mess, my mum told me she just uses a wooden spoon to fold and push the dough around for 10 minutes in the bowl. It works like a charm. This recipe works best when baked in dark metal loaf pans. The dough sticks a lot worse in pyrex pans so I don't recommend those here. 

I have been eating this brown bread with soup, YUM, and  I'm going to make some baked beans to have with the second loaf. Whatever you eat it with, it is delicious. So, enjoy!


Much Love 

​Trisha

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quick oats (or 1 cup regular oats, blitzed a bit in food processor)
• 2 cups boiling water

•  1 tbsp softened vegan butter or shortening  
  
•  3/4 cup molasses
  
•  1 tsp salt (heaping)
  

•  1/2 cup warm water
  
•  1 tsp sugar
  
•  1 pkg yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

•  4 cups all purpose flour
  

Method:

1. Combine 1 cup oats and 2 cups boiling water in a large bowl, stir and let sit.
2. In a separate dish mix 1/2 cup warm water, 1 tsp sugar, and yeast. Let proof for a few minutes until foamy. 
   
3. Mix in to the oat and boiling water mixture : vegan butter, molasses, and salt
4. Now mix in the yeast mixture.
   
5. Now stir in 4 cups of all purpose flour. Keep incorporating until it forms into a sticky dough. 
   
6. Keep kneading in the bowl as best you can with a wooden spoon. Just fold it over itself, push it around. Do this for 10 minutes. Maybe incorporating a sprinkle or two more flour just so it all comes together a bit better. But should be very sticky. 
   
7. Let rise in a warm place until doubled. The time will vary depending how warm or cool your kitchen is. Mine took about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. 
   
8. Now punch down the dough. Divide in two. I just use a spatula to carve down the middle right in the bowl. 
   
9. Now take two metal loaf pans and butter liberally the insides and even the rim of the pan to prevent loaves from sticking. 
   
10.  Scrape dough into each loaf pan and spread to cover the base evenly. (takes a little effort)
    
11.  Let rise a second time. Again it will vary. Mine took about 45 minutes. Preheat your oven to 325F
    
12.  Bake for 40 minutes.