Something about being in the country makes me want to bake Health Bread. Maybe it’s the gallons of fresh air we’re drinking every day or some kind of primal back- to-the-land urge that pushes me into the kitchen. Whatever it is, I usually produce bread worthy of a big kiss from Ralph! This bread got a giggle…
These rolls started out as bread. Yesterday morning, when I started this recipe my intention was to make two loaves of bread. It was a drizzly day, perfect for puttering inside while my bread dough raised. Just as I was shaping my loaves, the sun came out. At the same time, I realized that I’d forgotten my bread pans in the city. Frustrated that my bread had to be turned into rolls and anxious to get out in the garden, I quickly sliced the dough into chunks. Normally, those chunks would be shaped into perfect little round balls but in my infinite culinary wisdom I thought, ‘I bet they’ll raise fine just as they are’.
Ha!
Not only did they take twice as long to get any height, they were gnarly nasty looking rolls. So, lesson learned – rolls need to be shaped with the smooth round side up!
Health Bread
makes 2 large loaves – or 24 rolls
2 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup rolled oats…I used ‘Quick Oates’ cooks in 5 minutes…
¼ cup wheat germ
½ cup butter or margarine
½ cup molasses
5 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups multi-grain bread flour
1 cup kamut flour
3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
THE STEPS:
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Place oats, wheat germ, butter or margarine and molasses in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.
- Pour hot water over and stir until margarine melts and mixture is well incorporated.
- When mixture has cooled to lukewarm, stir in yeast and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of the multi-grain bread flour and the salt…mix well
- Gradually add the remaining flours until you have a soft dough.
- Knead dough until smooth and springy.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rise until it doubles in volume. Anywhere from 2 ½ – 3 ½ hours
- Punch the dough down and turn it over, cover and allow to rise again. 1 ½ – 2 hours
- When it has doubled in volume, punch the dough down and shape into 2 loaves. I divide the loaves in 2 again so I can freeze smaller portions.
- Place dough, seam side down, in greased bread pans, cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rise until double in volume.
- Preheat oven to 375*F
- Place loaves in oven and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven, take bread out of pans and sit on cooling rack.
THE LOVE: This bread needs you to be home for the day. The multiple risings will produce beautiful high loaves just like your grandmother made! Or ugly rolls if you try to cheat!
one year ago: vegan chocolate mousse
two years ago: lemon thyme ice cream
three years ago: farmhouse-style rhubarb cake
Thanks for reading.
