Last week, I wanted to bake something different. I also wanted to bake something light and soft, yet healthy for the kids sandwiches to school. I browsed through the books, and remembered that i had not prepared any preferment, so naturally i headed to Hamelman's book and right into the straight dough section. I have not made the oatmeal bread, so oatmeal bread it was.
I decided to bake 1.5 times the recipe, yielding a total 2.4 Kg dough. The recipe calls for 20% wholewheat, 12% oatmeal, milk, honey, and oil, so it is an enriched dough. The recipe also calls for 1.5 tsp of yeast, 2tsp for my dough, and a preferable overnight retardation immedietly after mixing. My dough was retarded for 4 hours in the fridge, folded once, and then allowed to warm up for 2 hours on the counter.
The dough was stiffer than i had wished, as a result of the oats. It was difficult to adjust the hydration for a 2.4 Kg dough in the mixer (mine is small).
The crust is soft, and the crumb was really soft. The flavor was slightly sweet and rich, and intensifies when the bread is toasted. This bread makes excellent toast, i loved it!
Khalid
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Yes, 2 1/2 kg of stiff dough is lot to ask from a home standmixer! It does look good though, like it would indeed make excellent toast.
-Floyd
Thanks, Floyd. mind you, i have mixed the dough in two batches of 1.2 kg. I hav the oats and the strong white bread flour (12.9% protein) to blame.
Looks good, Khalid. And I'm sure your kids enjoyed it. :)
The thought of retarding a straight dough didn't occur to me until I read your post... I need to give that a try sometime. Having said that, I wish I had a copy of Hamelman's Bread book.
Wishing you the best,
Zita
Thanks, Zita!
Yeah they enjoyed it, eating only a quarter for school! Grrr
Hamelman retards Challah too, it brings out the flavor more.
Hi Khalid,
You are right of course; oats are very thirsty.....unpredictably so, and especially if left over time. That tends to lead me to prefer to use them in soakers, rather than retarded doughs.
All good wishes
Andy
ps retarding Chollah dough sounds like a good plan if you have a dozen of them to braid, don't you think?
Thank you Andy. The recipe says to soak the oats for 15-20 minutes prior to mixing in all other ingredients, which i did. I guess it is hard to manage a 2.4 Kg dough with a small mixer and an ailing back.
Yes, why havn't i thought of that? It does make braiding large batches easier.
of bread kids love for their lunch sandwiches - enriched to soft en the crust and crumb. Glad they like it and that it makes good toast for breakfast - a two'fer! Can't beat that.
Nice baking Khalid
Thanks DA!
I think they liked it (it didn't look so brown as does commercial brown bread).
Beautiful bake, Khalid! Plenty of loaves for your family to enjoy. It bakes up so tasty and slices great for sandwiches.
Your post reminds me, I need to bake this one more often..instead of just thinking about it : ) one of our families favorite's too!
Sylvia
Yep, Sylvia, soft and tasty, and great for toast. I have overlooked the recipe for long.
Thanks!
and I hope the kids appreciate it. I haven't tried that one yet. -Varda
Do try it Varda, it makes for excellent toast.
I'll bet that crumb is soft. Oatmeal -- that'd be something new. The sweetness is attractive. On the list!
Nice baking!
Tom
Thanks, Tom! Yes , Milk, Honey, oats, and a well kneaded dough, all contributed to softness.
Great looking bread Khalid. I've made similar bread before and love using oats. Wish I had some instead of my lemon disaster.
Regards
Ian
Thank you Ian!
The best way to success is to make mistakes and learn from them, and you are on the fast track to achieving that, Ian!
Hi Khalid,
Did all three loaves in the first picture come from the same batch of dough? The crumb of the oatmeal bread looks perfect for sandwiches and toast. I bet the oatmeal gives it a creamy texture. I like the scoring, too.
-Brad
Thanks, Brad!
Yes, all from the 2.4 Kg dough.
The oatmeal does contribute color, but the honey used was black, and there was milk in there too.
Thanks again!
Khalid,
I really like the texture of the crumb in these loaves, nice and soft and creamy looking. This is the type of bread I'm hoping to get with some coaxing of a formula I received from a friend of mine (sourdough oatmeal bread post). I can see that this would be a thirsty loaf. Nice job.
Linda
Thanks, Linda!
Never tried a sourdough Oatmeal bread, it should be superior in flavor to the one i made.
Hi Khalid,
All three loaves look lovely, and I really like your oatmeal-crusted boule - the oatmeal on the crust sets off the scoring beautifully.
Mr. Hamelman's recipe for this bread is one of my favorite straight dough recipes.
:^) breadsong
Thanks, Breadsong! Coming from you, it puts a smile on my face.