Old Bear's Recipe of the Month
August 1995

            Oatmeal-Molasses Bread 
           ------------------------      

This recipe uses a total of eight cups of flour.  Have all 
ingredients at room temperature (about 75 deg F)

Combine in a large bowl:

          4 cups    boiling water
        1/2 cup     non-fat dry milk
        1/3 cup     dark molasses
        1/4 cup     honey
          3 Tbsp    softened shortening 
          1 tsp     salt

Stir in:

          2 cups    steel cut oats

Allow oats to soften for a few minutes.  Stir in:

          3 cups    flour

Allow to cool slighly.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine:

          1 Tbsp    yeast
        1/4 cup     warm water  (about 95 deg F)
          1 Tbsp    flour
          1 tsp     molasses

Allow the yeast mixture to stand for about five to ten minutes to 
allow the yeast to start developing.

Add the yeast mixture to the softened oat mixture in the large 
bowl which should have cooled to about 95-100 deg F.

Add:

          4 cups    flour

1/2 cup at a time, mixing after each addition to form a managable 
dough.

Turn out onto lightly floured board and kneed in:

          1 cup     flour

or as much as it takes make the dough feel soft, compact and only 
slightly sticky.  Form into a ball and place in an oiled bowl.  
Turn to coat the surface of the dough ball with oil.  Cover with 
plastic wrap and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled.

Punch down.  Turn out onto lightly floured surface, kneed as 
before, form ball, and return to oiled bowl.  Oil surface.  Cover 
with plastic wrap and allow to rise for an addition half hour or 
until doubled.

Punch down a final time.  Turn out onto lightly floured surface, 
kneed gently and form into loaf shapes.

Place in oiled 5x9 bread loaf pans.  Cover with plastic wrap and 
allow to rise until doubled.

Optionally, you may brush the tops of the risen loafs with a 
mixture of 

          1         egg white
          1 Tbsp    water

and sprinkle with 

                    rolled oats 

Bake in preheated 350 deg F oven for 35 minutes.


Makes two large loaves.
 


adapted from seveal sources, including:
  The Joy of Cooking (1967) by Rombauer and Becker
  The New England Yankee Cook Book (1939) by Imogene Wolcott
  Secrets of a Jewish Baker (1993) by George Greenstein

rev 10/95