oatmeal, cranberry multi-grain bread

I’ve made a version of this bread since I was a little girl. My mom’s recipe calls for white flour, raisins and a couple of other things. I’ve changed the recipe to make it healthier. I am so dead if she reads this post! I substituted dried cranberries for the raisins because that’s all I had in my cupboard. I love cranberry oatcakes so I thought, “what the heck”. The taste and color of the cranberries worked like a charm!

Oatmeal, Cranberry Multi-grain Bread

makes 2 loaves

1 cup boiling water

1 cup oatmeal – Quaker 5 minute

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup Crosby’s molasses – it’s the best!

1 cup dried cranberries – Ocean Spray Craisins are excellent

pinch of baking soda

1/2 cup water with 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon dry active yeast

1 cup warm water

5 1/2- 6 cups multi-grain flour – Robin Hood Multi-grain Bread Flour

Proof yeast by stirring sugar into 1/2 cup warm water then add yeast – allow to sit for 10 minutes. Yeast/water mixture should be frothy

Meanwhile, in the bowl of your stand mixer [or a large mixing bowl] place oatmeal, butter, brown sugar, salt and molasses

Stir in 1 cup boiling water – stir until butter has melted and is totally emulsified

When yeast is ready, add 1 cup of water to cool the temperature of the oatmeal mixture then stir in yeast

Add 3 cups of multi-grain flour – mix well

Continue adding flour until dough is no longer sticky

Knead for 5 minutes – dough should be smooth and elastic

Place dough in a large well oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and let raise until doubled in bulk

Punch dough down – reshape into a new ball – and raise for a second time until doubled in bulk

Punch dough down again and shape into 2 loaves

Allow to raise until dough has formed a nice loaf – about 1 1/2 hours

preheat oven 375*F

Place bread in oven and bake for 50 minutes

Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes then remove from bread pans

Allow to continue cooling at least 1/2 hour before slicing.

This is a heavy dough and will need lots of time to raise but it’s so worth it!

I couldn’t resist showing you how pretty the bread looked as a sandwich.

Local cucumbers are in season which means cucumber sandwiches for lunch.

Thanks for reading.